Debate contributions by Matteo RICCI

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, aviation and maritime transport represent an increasing part of European emissions; These are hard-to-decarbonise sectors, which is why they need solutions that are immediately available. Advanced aviation biofuels (SAF) and marine bunkering biofuels are now one of the very few immediately applicable instruments on a large scale, yet their uptake is hampered by high costs, low production capacity and European financial support that falls short of our climate targets. The Multiannual Financial Framework, while acknowledging its urgency, does not increase resources for green investments and thus creates a growing gap between what we impose on businesses and operators and what we make available to help them comply with these rules. President Draghi has said this several times, unheard. To advance this strategy, we therefore call for a substantial increase in shared investments: without a European fund dedicated to advanced biofuels for aviation and the shipping, we can't do it.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, today we are taking an important step for the safety of our roads, by adopting the last two measures of a package that really wants to protect drivers and wants to protect pedestrians. In 2024, we still had almost 20,000 fatalities due to road accidents, which is too high a number that we absolutely must reduce. This new directive comes after almost 60 years and finally puts in order the rules on the withdrawal of licenses throughout Europe: Today, in fact, those who commit a serious offence, in a country other than the one that issued the licence, often go unpunished in much of the European Union. As many as 40% of these cross-border infringements remained without serious consequences. With the new rules, however, those who lose their license in a European country for a serious infringement will no longer be able to drive in any other Member State. The decision to suspend or withdraw a licence will be recognised and enforced everywhere in Europe. I would like to thank Mr Paulus and all the shadow rapporteurs who have worked with commitment and a spirit of collaboration. This package is not just a set of rules: It is a concrete commitment to make our roads safer, especially because we care more about our children.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, setting more ambitious targets for the recycling and recovery of end-of-life vehicles is a fundamental step in the text adopted in committee. There is also a positive call to focus on sustainable design and the use of recycled materials in the production of new vehicles, with clear environmental and economic benefits. Parliament highlighted the importance of innovative instruments such as the vehicle passport, extended producer responsibility and firmness requirements. We have also safeguarded the right to repair. Finally, with this regulation we intend to create a deterrent against the phenomenon of ghost cars, end-of-life vehicles exported illegally as if they were still in circulation, with serious consequences in third countries. To conclude, I hope that an agreement will be reached with the Council as soon as possible to really build a circular economy in the automotive sector.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, after more than ten years, the Council has finally adopted a position on the regulation of air passenger rights. However, the good news ends here. The adopted text is very far from the work we are doing on the Passenger Rights Regulation in Parliament and in the TRAN Committee. This text calls into question a fundamental right: compensation for delays of more than 3 hours. Bringing the threshold to 4 hours risks significantly weakening passenger protections, as it excludes more than 60% of current compensation. A choice that my group cannot share. Instead, we believe that the solution should go through more effective enforcement mechanisms, strengthening the powers of national authorities and requiring airlines to inform passengers in advance of their right to receive compensation automatically. In addition, the Court of Justice has clarified that hand luggage, if of reasonable size and weight, must be able to be carried free of charge in the cabin. On these issues, as S&D, we will continue to work to ensure real protection of the rights of European passengers.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, public transport is much more than just a service. It is the pillar of social cohesion, economic development and ecological transition in Europe. Ensuring an accessible, reliable and quality transport system is not a luxury, but a fundamental right for all citizens, regardless of where they live and their income. Today, in many of these peripheral rural areas, as in my region, the Marche region, the least funded in Italy, mobility is an obstacle, not a resource. The connections are insufficient and the journey times too long, and the services are poorly reliable. This fuels territorial inequalities that undermine our social fabric and curb local development. We need to act now. We need an ambitious European plan that focuses on the right to mobility with targeted investments in on-demand transport services in regional, interregional rail transport and in bridging the infrastructure gap between the centre and the peripheries, between coasts and inland areas.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Europe has a crucial challenge ahead of it: Maintaining industrial technological leadership in the era of sustainable mobility. The action plan goes in the right direction, but clear and courageous choices are needed to do so. First: regulatory stability. We can't afford to change the rules in the race. Companies must be able to invest with certainty and confidence in the future. But stability does not mean immobility: On the contrary, it means creating the conditions for change. We need to strengthen Europe's digital infrastructure, secure semiconductor production in Europe and invest in the battery industry, where we are too dependent on other continents today. On the demand side, we need concrete tools to make electric vehicles accessible to all and, at the same time, we need to push for a widespread private charging infrastructure. But let's be clear: This will not be possible without adequate resources. The level of funding discussed today is simply insufficient. If we want a competitive industry, jobs, quality and a transition that leaves no one behind, we need to be more ambitious and determined, including in public investment.

Mr President, Commissioner Tzitzikostas, ladies and gentlemen, all analysts predict around 200 or 300 million new tourists in the world in the coming years – a middle class that has grown in emerging countries – and these new tourists are strongly attracted by European beauty and culture. The problem is that, as has been said, we have many cities – cities of art – that are in overtourism And we need to offer these new tourists a network of medium-sized cities, which exists on our continent. For this reason, I believe that we must enhance the networks of medium-sized cities, starting with UNESCO networks, but also the European and national capitals of culture: they are a great tool for us, because rural cities, villages and, consequently, territories still to be discovered can also be aggregated around medium-sized cities. I believe a lot in this strategy and for this reason we have decided from my land, from Pesaro and Urbino and the Marche, to apply, after Matera in 2019, for the European capital of culture 2033, when it will once again be our country, Italy.

Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, after more than ten years of negotiations, we have finally reached an agreement on the Single European Sky, an issue that directly affects the daily lives of millions of citizens. However, we need to be clear: the text we will adopt tomorrow does not live up to expectations. Europe needs a unified airspace with integrated management and direct routes to reduce delays, costs and above all environmental impact. Today the fragmentation of our airspace generates serious inefficiencies, costing passengers time and money. Every delay translates into more emissions and this is a price our planet can no longer afford to pay. The regulation we are about to vote on promotes greater cooperation between national authorities but does not impose binding rules for the true integration of European airspace. It is a necessary compromise, but not sufficient. Personally, I consider it just a first step. We must not stop: Europe needs a Single European Sky to be more competitive.