Speeches

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, we note that the climate emergency is suspended: Droughts, rising temperatures and sea levels can wait for the next elections. There is no other explanation for the words of the Commissioner for Climate Action who, after years of alarmism, is now also slowing down on decarbonisation. And while it calls for a 90% reduction in emissions by 2040, it postpones legislative measures to reach the target until after the vote. To think wrong, it would be to say that this happens for fear of telling the truth and admitting that this goal is unattainable without devastating entire production chains, especially in Germany. Correct me if I am wrong, Commissioner, and explain in another way the reasons for so much indulgence, which we have not seen about choices that affect Italy and its companies.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the concerns of European farmers on strike are the same as those of Italian farmers and have the same cause: environmental prejudice fuelled by the European Commission. In Italy, the fruit and vegetable sector has produced 40% less, the livestock sector 30%; an estimated 60% drop in farm income; Millions of families are in danger. What does Europe do? Under the guise of protecting the environment, he treats farmers like criminals. If Europe does not support those who work, those who produce income, those who pass on ancient traditions and fill our plate, it does not make sense to exist.

Madam President, Mr Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, there are two ways of looking at the state: as an institution that must be served by citizens or as an entity that justifies its existence with results. I believe that institutions should be at the service of people, not vice versa. Let those who work and give work be helped and not hindered. Because without work and the value it creates, the sustainability of public service is lost. Italy is the first nation in Europe for bureaucratic pressure. Our government has made this very clear and is simplifying many regulations. But Europe must also contribute to this process. Regulations and directives hinder growth, deter investors, feed the bureaucratic class on the shoulders of productive sectors. I ask this together with Italian farmers, who are called upon to deal with 133 regulations and 46 European directives. And I believe that at this point Europe must produce a rule, that is to say, to fix a ceiling on the number of regulations... (The President took the floor from the speaker.)

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, there are two wars in Europe: the bloody one on the Ukrainian front and the silent one on the wheat. One is tied to the other. Both must be stopped: Italian farmers know this. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, wheat production prices have risen dramatically, while sales prices on the market have fallen. How is that possible? It's financial speculation that doesn't look anyone in the face. Few speculators are enriching themselves on the shoulders of entire populations. Europe must intervene or, in addition to energy products, bread will also begin to be missing on our tables.

Mr President, Commissioner Timmermans, ladies and gentlemen, at least the Commission has clearly explained its position: The objectives of the programme must be achieved at all costs. It is a position already felt a few days ago, when we read the results of the additional study on the impact of the Regulation for plant protection in viticulture: Yes, we are told, this impact will be devastating; Yes, it will destroy the entire European wine sector, but it is a price that the peoples of Europe must be willing to pay because the 2030 agenda cannot be countered or corrected. The idea that the end always justifies the means, that there is never too high a price, is the exact definition of fanaticism. Every violent and dramatic page in the history of our continent has its origin in this attitude. So we will always say yes to environmentalism, but we could never, ever say yes to fanaticism. Another way to defend the planet is possible!

(IT) Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, representatives of the Commission, before we begin, I ask you all to send a hug to the people of Emilia-Romagna who have been wounded but certainly not defeated. We could discuss the causes of climate change, but let's stick to the facts. We have seen images of drought disasters, we have seen the most recent ones of many European territories devastated by storms and floods. Science tells us that the two phenomena, droughts and floods, are actually connected, but once again let us stick to the facts and science, to which many here often appeal. A study from the University of Berkley claims that synthetic meat production pollutes up to twenty-five times more than traditional meat production. Not only that, but it also requires a lot more water. Farmers' associations argue that the CAP will benefit multinationals at the expense of zero-kilometer farms. In the light of this, we welcome the monitoring, exchange of information and awareness-raising initiatives that the Commission intends to carry out against drought. But without a modification of the CAP and with the waste of public funds to finance synthetic meat research, already rejected by science, good intentions will be of little use.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, talking about bees means talking about our own lives. Without bees, many crops would not bear fruit and seeds and this would put biodiversity at risk. Without biodiversity, our health and food security would be at risk. Our farmers know all this well: They are the first guardians of the environment, because no one knows better than them the rhythms of nature, its cycles, its rules and the best way to respect it. Thanks to their daily commitment, farmers guarantee the protection of biodiversity. Think, for example, of those who work in complex territories such as the mountains: Thanks to agriculture and all the actors that help to keep it alive, entire territories and communities can continue to live. In other words, this means that environmental sustainability is closely linked to economic and social sustainability. Confidently supporting those who work the land and those who produce excellence from it is the best way to defend our future and that of our children.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Commissioner, in the face of the extraordinary crisis that has hit the agricultural sector, due to the increase in fertiliser prices, the Commission has responded with initiatives - and the Commissioner has stressed this - that are acceptable but ordinary in the face of an extraordinary situation, as has been said. We need a leap in awareness and a leap in quality. Scientific innovations help us in the challenge of building a sustainable model, both from an environmental and economic point of view. There are, but have not received sufficient attention so far, new generation biofertilizers of animal origin, as well as new types of chemical fertilizers, which allow you to reduce the amount of product for the same performance. It is now possible, at a reasonable cost, to build biogas plants for the production of fertilisers and energy, which make it possible to reduce the quantity of product for the same performance, shortening the supply chain and reducing the dependence of European countries on extra-EU imports. These innovations should be promoted and supported by the Union in the form of incentives and facilitations for a production model capable of taking the sector beyond the current difficulties towards a future where new scientific knowledge is at the service of a renewed environmental awareness.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, children are our present and our future, I tell you as a mother and grandmother. Much remains to be done to ensure a dignified present and future for many children. In Italy, 1.3 million children live below the poverty line. Families with more children are at the highest risk of poverty. With bills and inflation skyrocketing, Europe needs to do more to support the families most in need. Extraordinary measures are needed to give a better future to so many children who today suffer in situations of social and economic fragility. Europe shows that it is there for its youngest and most vulnerable citizens. There's no more time to waste.