Mario Draghi at the end of the European summit in Porto spoke to journalists to take stock of the situation: “Two words of introduction on this morning’s meeting: the statement does not seem to be of great importance, but it is not. The moment is a moment that is at the end of a long journey in the field of the protection of social rights. It seems obvious but the process started in 2017, launched by Juncker. Four years to bring the whole Council to share a first form of coordination of labor markets and especially of social rights. I don’t think it would have been possible if the United Kingdom were still a member of the EU, it had stubbornly opposed any action in this field for years and years, believing it was an area of exclusive national competence “.
Social policies. Draghi yesterday proposed to make the Sure fund structural, and today the Italian premier said that that proposal “it was taken up by many, even by countries from which I would not have expected it. There is no decision taken nor was it on the agenda, I believe that these decisions like others, the beginning of a discussion on a budget policy in the coming months can only begin in the EU Council in June “.
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edited by the Italian Public Accounts Observatory
While on the Biden proposal to suspend vaccine patents, the Italian prime minister said: “” Biden’s proposal has opened a door, then we’ll see. There are those who protect the sanctity of the patent and those who are more open. But that patenting is a diplomatic tactical move by the United States to beat Russia and China’s international vaccine policy, I don’t think so, because today’s numbers show that this is a very funny thing for the moment. Russia has announced 750 million doses, so far it has delivered six. China has 600 million and has handed over 40 million. They are not adversaries that would worry the US“.
Patents on vaccines. Biden’s position on patents “I believe it comes from an observation: there are millions of people who do not have access to vaccines either due to lack of distribution or lack of money, who are dying”. Prime Minister Mario Draghi said this at the end of the European summit in Porto. “There are large pharmaceutical companies have had massive government subsidies. It could simply be said that something is expected in return from these pharmaceutical companies“.
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Draghi then answered a question regarding the Italian situation and post Covid reopening: “As I believe most Italians, I want to reopen, I want people to go back out to work, to have fun, to be together, but you have to do it safely, that is calculating the risk well “. And he added: “We need to calculate the risk well. The data are quite encouraging. If the trend continues in this direction, the control room will proceed with other reopenings. It is important to be gradual, also to understand which reopenings will have the most effect on infections and which less“.
tourism. During the informal EU summit in Oporto, the timing and modalities of the European green certificate were also discussed. It was above all Italy that raised the issue, explained Prime Minister Draghi.
“We have asked with great emphasis that the EU commission and parliament proceed as quickly as possible to the green certificate”, he observed. We need “a European model on which to compete for tourism measures. Otherwise there will be a lot of confusion”, he added .
“With the revival of tourism, we must also consider that airports are places that we must look at very carefully, because they are obviously places where infections can occur. So we need to reinforce controls at airports, this does not mean closing, it means reopening but doing it with your head“said Prime Minister Mario Draghi at the end of the European Summit in Porto.