Metsola to EU leaders: Simplification means more jobs, more stability, more security  

Dear António, dear colleagues,
 
Let me begin by saying that the European Parliament stands in full solidarity with Denmark after the sightings of unidentified drones near your airports and military sites. I won’t speculate, but after the drones in Poland and Romania, and fighter jets entering Estonian airspace, it’s clear we are facing a new level of provocation - on land, at sea, and now in the air.
 
This is a new reality. It emphasises the need to take an honest look at our defensive capabilities and readiness. And if the last few days have shown us anything, it is that we need to become better prepared.
 
Some days ago, I was in Kyiv to reaffirm the European Parliament’s steadfast support for the Verkhovna Rada and the Ukrainian people. You could see how drones have really become a primary weapon of war. President Zelenskyy made it clear that Ukraine is ready - they have field experience and the industrial capacities to produce even more. What they lack however, is financing. It’s the same message we heard when he addressed the United Nations General Assembly last week. What was once covert is now overt - and here, we can really count on Ukraine's expertise.
 
The same reasoning explains why stronger defence cooperation makes sense for us. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. What we need is to pool our recourses, our funding, and our know-how. And the European Parliament gets that. We are now ready to reach an agreement on EDIP - the European Defence Industry Programme - at the next trilogue on 7 October, which we hope will be the last one.
 
I also want to inform you that the European Parliament will use our simplified procedure for the Defence Readiness Omnibus Package, meaning that we will adopt our position much faster. By the end of the month, we will adopt our position on banning the purchase of Russian natural gas as well. The European Parliament has taken a clear stance: ending the purchase of Russian gas and energy strikes at the very core of Russia’s war machine - and we stand by that. Naturally, phasing out our dependencies must be accompanied by a clear plan. But the excuses that have held us back until now are far from insurmountable. The same is true for making progress on Russian immobilised assets as it does for the 19th package of sanctions.
 
This is how we ensure that what is happening to Ukraine never happens anywhere in Europe again. Let me also welcome the results of the Republic of Moldova’s election. The future of Moldova is Europe, and its people have chosen a path of democracy, hope and opportunities.
The story, however, is far from over. The European Parliament will continue to stand firm against ongoing Russian interference and intimidation. But if the results prove anything, it is that those who see the European Union as a threat - that try every means to sway those who wish to join us - will not succeed.
 
For the European Parliament, merit-based enlargement remains a geopolitical, strategic priority. Part of my visit to Ukraine was to take our cooperation here to the next level. That’s why we opened a permanent European Parliament antenna in Kyiv. Now we have people on the ground, working alongside the Verkhovna Rada and the Ukrainian people every single day. But make no mistake: while candidate countries prepare to join, we must be preparing too. What works for a Union of 27 does not work for a Union of 30. We need to keep matching our commitment, with action.
 
At the end of the day, all of this comes down to sustaining genuine peace. The European Union has always been a peace project - and peace needs effort. The plan to end the Gaza conflict put forward by the President of the United States, and endorsed by Gulf and Arab States, is an important breakthrough. It offers a real framework towards peace, stability and reconstruction in Gaza.
 
If Hamas accepts this peace plan, it will mean that the guns fall silent; that the suffering would end. Hostages could come home. More aid could reach those who desperately need it. It would guard against mass displacement, and it would make sure Hamas has no role in Gaza’s future governance.
 
The plan can bring security for Israel, and it can give Palestinians a real perspective for their legitimate aspirations towards self-determination and Statehood. It keeps the possibility of a two-state solution alive. And it provides hope - real hope - to an entire region that has seen too little of it. 
 
We are in a pivotal moment. We could finally end this inter-generational cycle of bloodshed, terror and violence. There is a clear alternative to perpetual war - we must take it.
 
This European Parliament is one that wants to deliver. Like you, we want to make it easier for our industries to compete. We want to make life better, fairer, easier for families. And we want to make sure that at a time when too often the world feels like it is on fire, that Europe remains the best and safest place to be. I know we can get there.
 
So my appeal is: let’s work together. The European Parliament has reformed. Processes that would previously take months now take days, sometimes hours.
 
At first glance, it might seem easier to bypass Parliament altogether. But that fuels voter frustration. Our legislation and policies need democratic buy-in. And that is what the Parliament does. That is what every one of your Parliaments add. It is true that the European Parliament has 8 political groups covering the full political spectrum - but we can build, and we have built, strong majorities.
 
A few weeks ago, Parliament and the Commission signed a new Framework Agreement, committing to our simplification agenda. I want to reiterate that today. We will vote on the revisions of the CSRD - Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive - and the CSDDD - Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive in October, just as we will on the Omnibus II Investment Simplification Package [InvestEU], the revision of the Visa Suspension Mechanism and our position on the Common Agriculture Policy Simplification Omnibus. This will mean more jobs, more stability - ultimately, more security. So yes, things are moving. But we need to keep pulling the same rope.
 
When it comes to establishing an EU list of Safe Countries of Origin and revising the Safe Third Country Concept, we hope to conclude them by the end of the year. The new Returns Regulation, by early next year.
 
Starting MFF - Multiannual Financial Framework - negotiations will also be a top priority. The European Parliament is ready. We will take our role seriously. Committees have already begun work on the legislative proposals. And in mid-October, all Parliamentary members directly involved will meet in an MFF Contact Group to kick-start the process.
 
Europe delivers when institutions work together. And we must keep delivering. For that, you can count on the European Parliament.
 
Thank you.