The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola called on EU leaders to have a coherent and united front in their approach to achieve peace in the Middle East.
"Peace may be difficult but it is not impossible," said President Metsola, underlining her appeal to EU Member States to do everything possible to ensure that the fragile ceasefire agreement holds.
Debriefing leaders after just having returned from the Middle East, President Metsola said, "what we have witnessed between Israel and Iran, and its potential spillover effects, is a litmus test for us all. The recent ceasefire deal marks a hopeful step forward. But the Iranian Parliament's bill to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency underscores how fragile the path towards stability remains."
President Metsola said that Europe's continued engagement is essential, urging leaders to keep using all channels to push for broad de-escalation, to ensure that the Israel-Iran ceasefire agreement holds.
"We need to keep working for a ceasefire in Gaza, for the immediate release of all hostages and an end to the terror, and for humanitarian aid to reach those who so desperately need it. And we need to keep doing all that while supporting a two-state solution - with security for Israel and credible perspective for a legitimate and peaceful Palestinian leadership - as the only path towards a sustainable and lasting peace," remarked the President of the European Parliament.
On Ukraine, Metsola referred to the online debate with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the European Council. She said that it is good for the EU to keep up the momentum and its commitment.
On simplification, President Metsola highlighted the European Parliament's speed of delivery, stating that processes that used to take 9 months, now can take just a few hours. "If Europe is to be faster, smarter, and more SME-friendly, we need to go beyond cosmetic changes, and that will only work if we give predictability to businesses, and if we bring our people on board. But that doesn't mean we are not fully committed to delivering with speed. On the contrary, we have shown that we can do both. So let me assure you that in the European Parliament, the timeline still stands - and so does our resolve."
She also mentioned the adoption of the 'Stop-the-clock' mechanism and the suspension of penalties on the automotive sector. She said that a provisional deal on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) had been reached.