S&D Group leader: Leaders should send a bold signal of renewal from Sibiu
Date
08 May 2019
Sections
Public Affairs
Ahead of the future of Europe summit that takes place in Sibiu this Thursday, 9th May, S&D Group leader Udo Bullmann said:
“The summit in Sibiu on 9th May, the day of the Schuman declaration, is a unique opportunity for EU leaders to send a bold signal of renewal towards European citizens. We cannot go on with business as usual when our planet is under historic threat and children live in poverty while big companies pay almost zero taxes. Under the leadership of conservatives, the European Union has failed to give the right and fair response to these biggest of all challenges in the past years. This has given momentum to nationalistic and right wing forces which thrive on people's fear. If we want to stop this downward spiral, we have to put Europe on a fundamentally new track with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals as our compass.
“Our priority will be to ensure that the much-needed ecological transformation is socially sustainable and goes hand in hand with the fight against inequalities. We cannot decarbonise the economy without making sure that clean energy is affordable to all. We cannot fight inequalities without a green economy that creates quality jobs. One of the most important steps to reach these goals is the move towards a sustainability agenda that takes into account not only economic but also ecological and social factors.
“For the S&D Group, this agenda will be the starting point of all discussions when it comes to the constitution of the next European Parliament and the election of the next President of the European Commission. We need new progressive majorities to overcome the conservative standstill and build a better, more sustainable and just European Union.”