Fitted: "I am not here to represent a party or a state, but the EU"

“I want to be clear: I am not here to represent a political party. I am not here to represent a member state. I am here today to affirm the my commitment to Europe. I am aware of the requirements imposed on members of the Commission under the Treaties and the Code of Conduct. If confirmed, I will strictly respect them and will only ever act in the interests of our Union and our citizens. I am also aware that the role of Executive Vice President comes with great responsibility. For the first time, an executive vice-president is entrusted with cohesion and reforms”. This was stated by Raffaele Fitto, executive vice-president designated for Cohesion and reforms, in his confirmation hearing in the European Parliament.

“Cohesion policy is around 1/3 of the current multiannual budget. It must remain central in the next MFF and be adequately funded. It must be better aligned with the Union’s priorities, while preserving its fundamental principles of a place-based approach, multilevel governance and partnership, we should work together. I am committed to working side by side with you in the coming months during the discussion on the next MFF and also for the next mid-term review of the current programmes, I will talk to the member states.”

The best way to move forward is always to come together and have an open and constructive dialogue

 

“During my years in this Parliament, I have been honored to work side by side with many of you. We have collaborated positively and always acted with mutual respect. This is my approach. I have respected everyone’s opinion, even when it was different from mine. The best way to move forward is always to unite and have an open and constructive dialogue. Despite different visions and political positions, we are a union of 27 countries. This is our strength, our different cultures, histories and perspectives coming together.”

“Europe is our home, uniquely designed and united in diversity. Our common responsibility is to work together for the future of our continent and its citizens” said Fitto.

Reforms and investments by 2026

“As Executive Vice President, I will work closely with the Commissioner for Economy and Productivity to enable Member States to deliver reforms and investments by 2026. This is our collective responsibility.”

Europe is our home, uniquely designed and united in diversity

 

“In Italy what appeared in the communication was not done, the reform of cohesion policy was proposed by the government and approved in agreement with the European Commission, it was included as one of the reforms of the Rrf, and above all it saw a process of comparison with regions and local autonomies, and in the end it saw approval from the mayors – and in his group there is the president of the Italian mayors, who can confirm this – and from the regions”. Fitto responded to a question from the coordinator of the Socialists and Democrats Marcos Ros Sempere who asked him about the reduction of the role of the regions and local authorities in Italian cohesion policy. “On the role of the regions: I spent 16 years in a regional council, in one of the regions most benefiting from cohesion funds. One of the first preparatory meetings was with the Committee of the Regions. The regions and autonomies are central pivots, especially on the front of a tailor-made policy based on specific knowledge of the territories”, added Fitto.

“We start from a fact that also emerged in the ninth report on Cohesion: the theme relating to the regions that are in the so-called development trap. We are talking about 46 regions stuck in this trap and another 36 regions at risk. So it is a real theme that concerns millions of citizens and is It’s important to try to start from positive experiences to which reference was made in order to be able to implement the entire talent incentive mechanism” – Fitto then added – “To ask ourselves the great question of these territories in which the future scenario that is emerging is a scenario in which the population gets older, young people go away. So we really have a problem with future prospects,” he added.

“I am committed to implementing rules on the rule of law”

“I am here also because my Government led by Giorgia Meloni proposed this to me. I am honoured, as I said and I underline it. Having said this, if we talk about the rule of law it becomes difficult to extrapolate some declarations from a debate politician from a few years ago with the political role that each of us has. I am here today for another issue, to represent the European Commission”. Fitto said, responding to a question about his positions when he was an MEP regarding the rule of law procedure against Poland.

“As Minister of European Affairs I participated in the dialogue on the rule of law. In these two years I have met Vice President Jourova and Commissioner Reynders several times. The Italy I represented in that context has always made a very positive contribution. article two of the Treaty, moreover, explains to us that Rule of law is a founding value and I have no difficulty in underlining it, in sharing it and reiterating it and in assuming the commitment that the provisions of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the provisions of the treaties and all the consequent norms that the instruments for implementing the rule of law see me absolutely d ‘agreement and in my role as designated vice president and Commissioner I undertake here to be able to represent and concretely implement the provisions of these provisions”, he assured.

“I share guidelines on the green deal”

“I would start from the guidelines of the President of the Commission, von der Leyen, which address this issue specifically to say that I agree with them, sharing the President’s guidelines. Evidently I agree with the fundamental choices”. Fitto said referring to the green deal.

“There is also a theme linked to the general change in the economic and social system of events. We faced a serious energy crisis with the invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission promptly implemented an important measure such as RepowerEu. It was an element of integration. We must have a rigid approach, we must be able to understand the overall evolution. The final objectives are certainly objectives to be guaranteed, for which I have no difficulty in confirming my position.” , he added.

“But it is clear that during the implementation there may be situations for which perhaps we adapt to new scenarios, because rigidity takes us nowhere. The whole discussion we are having up to now is precisely connected to the theme of flexibility, because this is a central theme. So I agree with the president’s guidelines and I undertake to implement them without any kind of difficulty and I say, however, that even in those guidelines which in her speech are openings to the needs that we need We will discuss those in an absolutely positive way and proactive,” he insisted.

“Regarding my abstention and the abstention of the Brothers of Italy” on Next Generation Eu “at that time, we had doubts about the implementation and some aspects related to issues that were not yet clear, and in fact, we did not vote against. If we had voted against, if you had voted against, you would have had a legitimate expectation with this question. A’abstention is a way of waiting. Based on the experience I have had as Minister for Recovery in Italy, it leads me to express that our experience has been positive. If I had to vote tomorrow, I would vote in favor” he said in response to a question from the MEP of the 5 Star Movement, Valentina Palmisano, onFdi’s abstention in the vote on Next Generation Eu.

Cohesion money to arms? Unsubstantiated news

“The Financial Times, which has examined his programme, writes that he wants to release billions of funds from Cohesion to move towards defense and weapons. He confirms that this is his intention.” This is the question that the MEP of the 5 Star Movement, Valentina Palmisano, asked the executive vice-president designated for Cohesion and reforms, Raffaele Fitto, in his confirmation hearing in the European Parliament. “It’s an article from the Financial Times. It’s not news from the European Commission. If I’m confirmed, I think we’ll get to know each other better. I don’t make statements very easily, in fact almost never, nor do I comment on an article that doesn’t come from a Commission source. Therefore , I would not like to comment on something that is baseless.”

Densely pressed, he also later returned to reiterate that “The purchase of weapons with Cohesion funds is not possible, it is forbidden. It is known so I have nothing else to add, I won’t comment on it. It is difficult to chase a newspaper article, however It’s not expected, it’s not possible.”

Am I a fascist? You decide

“If I give you the idea of ​​a fascist, you decide, it seems to me that these are themes and topics very far from any real hypothesis, it’s a suggestion that I honestly can’t even grasp.” Executive Vice President-designate Raffaele Fitto said this in response to a Spanish MEP from the Green group who accused him of having a “trajectory of connivance with neo-fascism”.

Double the housing fund, from 7 to 14 billion

“The theme accommodation it is a characterizing theme, there are two issues, that of cities and rural and internal areas, there are two different dynamics on the recovery of heritage, on new interventions, on the accessibility of houses. This is why intervention, investment is more fundamental than ever. I repeat what President von der Leyen said, which Commissioner Jorgensen confirmed, and which I agree with: the objective is double the figure, from 7 to 14 billion euros over the next few months and years” and “I too am committed to confirming this objective and creating the conditions immediately, in the medium-term review that we will have within the current program, but also and above all in anticipation of the new program” .