EP President Metsola to EU leaders: “Peace may be difficult, but it is not impossible”  

Thank you, Antonio.
Dear colleagues,

I just came back from the Middle East and the situation there is still volatile, and deeply concerning.

What we have witnessed between Israel and Iran, and its potential spill over effects, is a litmus test for us all. The recent ceasefire deal marks a hopeful step forward. But the Iranian Parliament’s bill to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency underscores how fragile the path towards stability remains.

The world understands that Iran cannot acquire a nuclear bomb. That is a threat not just to the region, but to the world.  

Our continued engagement is essential. 

• We need to keep using all channels to push for broad de-escalation, to ensure that the Israel-Iran ceasefire agreement holds, and that work towards a better tomorrow continues;

• We need to keep working for a ceasefire in Gaza, for the immediate release of all hostages and an end to the terror, and for humanitarian aid to reach those who so desperately need it;

• And we need to keep doing all that while supporting a two-state solution - with security for Israel and credible perspective for a legitimate and peaceful Palestinian leadership - as the only path towards a sustainable and lasting peace. 

Peace may be difficult, but it is not impossible. I know all of us here share this conviction. And that makes it necessary for us to have a coherent and united front in our approach to the Middle East. 

The same is true for our approach to the security situation on our continent. When it comes to Ukraine, our support must remain strong. The 17th package of sanctions against Russia is significant, and adopting the 18th is crucial to closing further loopholes. 

We must keep supporting Ukraine. Ukraine and Moldova have already met the conditions to open the initial set of negotiations - the so-called ‘fundamentals’ cluster. The ball is now in our court. We need to maintain momentum. Because we cannot lose sight of the fact that a merit-based enlargement - with clear goals and criteria - is the smartest investment we can make in our continent’s stability, prosperity, and peace. This is not fast-tracked, it is deserved.

This is what it means when we say that Europe must become more serious about its own security. And we are taking the right steps. Just yesterday, NATO allies came to an agreement of raising defence spending targets to 5%. 

The next step is to wean off Russian energy imports. The European Parliament welcomes the proposal that has been put forward - our House was the first to call for it. I have already sent the referral to our relevant committees and our aim is to adopt the final text by the end of the year. 

But we need to heed important past lessons here - phasing out is only one part of the equation. What’s just as important is what comes next. Meaning that we need to ensure that alternative energy sources are put in place to meet our needs. 

If last year’s election results taught us anything, it is that we cannot afford to move forward without bringing our people along. We need to explain why we’re doing this. Why this matters in an era where our way is not as self-evident as we thought. As co-legislators, the European Parliament will continue to play its part - with speed, with clarity, and with purpose. 

I want to give you a run-down on where we stand:

On defence: I regret that the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) was hit by the European Parliament elections and the confirmation of European Commissioners. But when this new legislature was up and running, we acted swiftly to adopt our position at the start of the year. I welcome the Council’s recent General Approach, and the scheduling of the first inter-institutional meeting that will allow us to move forward with negotiations. Last year, we adopted the Common Procurement Act (EDIRPA) and the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) in a matter of weeks. And that same sense of urgency is what will continue to guide us as we look to finalise the recent Defence Omnibus package by the end of the year. Our processes are reformed and fast.

On the Multiannual Financial Framework: we adopted our position to set out Parliament’s expectations. We are now eagerly awaiting the Commission’s proposal, which is due next month. The Parliament’s report on the proposal will already follow in autumn 2025. And our negotiating team stands ready to work constructively to deliver a budget that is better equipped to respond to today’s challenges - that is strong, strategic, responsible, and able to adapt.

Last - but certainly not least - on our simplification agenda: since we last met, we’ve adopted the ‘Stop-the-clock’ mechanism and suspended penalties on the automotive sector. We also reached a provisional deal on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and work on the latest Omnibus packages on mid-caps and defence will start very soon. 

Now I understand that some concerns remain. But this Parliament is a different Parliament than the one that perhaps some of you were used to. Processes that used to take months, now can take just a few hours.

Yes, we have our processes - and rightly so. If Europe is to be faster, smarter, and more business friendly, we need to go beyond cosmetic changes, and that will only work if we give predictability to industry and SMEs, and if we bring our people on board. But that doesn’t mean we are not fully committed to delivering with speed. On the contrary, we have shown that we can do both. So let me assure you that in the European Parliament, the timeline still stands - and so does our resolve. 

Finally, I want to use this moment to inform you that the European Parliament will soon table a targeted, narrow and surgical amendment to the EU Electoral Act - one that is limited to a single, but meaningful point. Our aim is to allow female Members of European Parliament who are pregnant or who have just given birth to delegate their vote. I encourage you to support this. Because surely, we can all agree, that no country, no institution, and no democracy should ever penalise elected representatives for choosing to start a family. Representation should never come at the cost of parenthood - and with this step, we choose to stand by both.

Thank you.