• EU, the agenda of the new Commission
  • The new EU Commission takes office. Von der Leyen: "Europe is a treasure to be saved"

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December 27, 2019 "During my five-year term I would like to be able to demonstrate that the Green deal is for everyone, I would like to get out of the stalemate on migration policies and I would like to strengthen the euro". The president of the European Commission, Ursula vonder Leyen, says in a wide interview with La Repubblica, in which she assures that "green Europe will be the first on the markets".

"Sooner or later - explains von der Leyen - the whole world will have to align with the philosophy of the Green deal. And then we will have to find ourselves in the role of pioneers, with a competitive advantage over others. We will have to impose ourselves on the world market, not to suffer it as it has happened in the past too many times ".

To the question on what is the message on the Green deal that you feel you are sending to Italian public opinion, he replies: "In Italy the dramatic extent of climate change is already being felt, just think of Venice, but we must understand that it is also a huge opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises and not only. I think of your farmers who have excellent production and in the Green deal we have the "Farm to fork" strategy which supports high-quality regional production. Italy - he adds - is part of the Alliance to create a European production chain for electric batteries and can do a lot on alternative energy ".

"In Europe - he continues - we have the Solidarity Fund from which Italy has received 2.8 billion so far, but these are short-term responses. In the long run, the only solution is the fight against climate change". On his government program, he also assures: "We will change the antitrust rules to make European champions: some sectors are in the hands of a few global big names". "Saving the nuclear deal with Iran - he concludes on the EU's foreign policy - is increasingly difficult. We have a dialogue with Beijing".

"We will change the antitrust rules"
"The backbone of our economy is small and medium-sized enterprises, but it is true that in some sectors competition is reduced to a few global players. Therefore it will be necessary to review the rules on competition. In some sectors, the more globalized ones, our analysis of market positions will refer to the world level to encourage the emergence of European competitors. In all other sectors, however, we will continue to analyze the European market to protect the interest of consumers ". So the president of the European Commission.

"Libya, no military solution, external actors suffer"
"It must be clear that there cannot be a military solution in Libya. Libya suffers from the presence of external actors trying to influence its future." So in an interview with La Repubblica the new president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. "The EU - he explains - is compact in supporting the peace process led by the United Nations and in saying that the only possible solution is through a diplomatic and political agreement between all Libyan actors".