The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament congratulate the Danish people for voting in yesterday's referendum to overturn their 30-year-old opt-out from the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Following on from the Swedish and Finnish applications for NATO membership, the Danish vote is yet another historic response to Russian aggression against Ukraine and the new security situation in Europe.

Croatia’s adoption of the euro will benefit Croatian citizens and businesses, make our common currency stronger, as well as enhance the European resilience and unity. This is the message from the S&Ds welcoming the European Commission’s assessment that the country is ready to adopt the euro on 1 January 2023, bringing the number of the euro area countries to twenty*.

Biljana Borzan, the S&D vice-president responsible for a new economy that works for all, said:

Today, CEOs from leading companies across the value chain, top EU decision-makers, and hundreds of stakeholders gathered at the Renewable Hydrogen Summit organised by the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition (RHC) to discuss the necessary policies to accelerate the renewable hydrogen uptake in Europe, and deliver the European Commission (EC)’s REPowerEU plan to reduce our continent’s dependence on fossil imports.

Following the Council gathering EU heads of state and government, the president of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Iratxe García MEP said:

“I welcome the adoption of the sixth package of sanctions. We are taking steps to put an end to our dependence on Russian fossil fuels and every step is important until we reach zero imports of oil and gas. I wish we could move faster, but unity is more important than speed and we must insist on solidarity between member states.

Open letter by the CEOs of the EU steel industry to the European Parliament and the Member States