 Okay, dear colleagues, it's time to reconvene. We are going to begin our debate on the German presidency. And I would like at this point to welcome Chancellor Merkel. It's a great honor, Chancellor, to have you with us today. Let us start with the video of the local and regional barometer which we presented yesterday in the presence of President von der Leyen as well. Dear Chancellor, it is a great pleasure to welcome you today. Germany was the driving force in founding this House, the Committee of the Regions. 56 years ago, our political assembly was created with the support of the German Lander and Chancellor Kohl. The Committee of the Regions was created to bring Europe closer to people. Today, your presence represents a legacy that addresses Europe's grassroots. We have seen how regions such as Lower Silesia received 100,000 masks from Saxony. And laboratories in Dresden are conducting hundreds of tests to help regions in other member states. These Chancellor are real stories of European solidarity. And we have also seen how Germany and its hospitals were open to receive people that were sick from all around Europe. And we thank you for that. Dear Chancellor, dear colleagues, yesterday, together with President von der Leyen, our Committee, the Committee of the Regions, released its first regional and local barometer. We are fighting side by side with doctors and nurses, with teachers. We have established platforms for e-health, e-governance, lessons, and we protect natural habitat, make our buildings energy efficient, our transport cleaner, and our communities greener. You know, Chancellor, the key message is simple. Local and regional leaders are on the front line fighting the pandemic. And they are essential to our European recovery. From Bergamo to Madrid, from Paris to Stockholm, from Vienna to La Valeta, we are working tirelessly to contain the virus, help the most vulnerable at these difficult times, protect our communities, and safeguard our local economies and jobs. But despite our efforts, we are struggling today to provide basic services to our people. With 91% of local budgets falling, to give you one example, only six member states today are able to provide digital schooling for 80% of the students. Dear Chancellor, the German EU presidency comes at the time of monumental importance. Thirty years after the German reunification, we are here today. We are here to reunite, to restart, to rebuild Europe. Citizens today urgently need a new EU budget and next-generation EU. Because when our cities and regions recover, Europe will recover, and our people will recover. Chancellor, we can access, and we have the access for EU funds. And the EU rule of law must always be respected. However, local and regional authorities should never be punished for the behavior of their national governments. Our recovery needs not only investment, but also European coordination. I welcome your recent talks with Germany's major cities to follow the same rules in responding to the pandemic. Now, this same must happen for all European issues. We need a consistent European approach between all regions, cities and member states. The German EU presidency also comes as we enter the final mile of the Brexit negotiations. It will directly impact many regions, their people and their businesses. This sad chapter of Brexit has shown us that European solidarity should never be taken for granted. It is a wake-up call for all Europeans. The new pact for migration is also on the table, and all member states should follow Germany's example. European solidarity, rights and shared responsibility is how we will successfully manage migration. Front-line countries cannot be left alone to cope with the migration crisis. Dear Chancellor, we believe in the German motto Gemeinschein together. Only together can we build a more resilient, democratic, sustainable and human Europe. 300 regions in Europe and 90,000 municipalities are the EU's democratic foundations and its safety net. They help bring Europe closer to its citizens. So let's acknowledge that today, two-dimensional Europe has reached its limits. We need now to move to a three-dimensional Europe with all levels, EU, national, regional and local, working together for the people. This is how we see our European House of Democracy. The EU is the roof, the member states are the walls and the regional and local levels are its foundations. And as you know very well, Chancellor, no House can exist without strong foundations. The Conference on the Future of Europe should improve our House of European Democracy and must not become a beauty contest between Brussels and its institutions. As the EU's political assembly of regional and local leaders, let me make three comments and three commitments to you. First, we will continue to bring the people closer to Europe through our local dialogues. Citizens must no longer feel forgotten, neglected or left behind or even ignored. Therefore, we need a permanent stream of communication by holding local dialogues on EU matters that really concern citizens. They must be organized already now during the German EU presidency, together with regional presidents, mayors, councilors, national and EU elected politicians. The EU should stop being perceived as a bureaucratic machine. And for this to happen, it needs to better take into account its territorial impact on regions, cities, villages in line with the principle of subsidiarity. The voice, powers and competencies of regions and cities must be truly reflected throughout the EU with or without treaty changes. Our second commitment is to ensure that cohesion becomes Europe's guiding compass. Cohesion, for us, is not just money. It's a fundamental European value that brings added value, benefitting every person, every business, every community and every member state in Europe. Let's not forget that for every euro invested, cohesion returns nearly three to every EU taxpayer. East to west, north to south, no state, no region, no city should be left alone or behind. Chancellor Merkel, the European Union is the greatest political and economic achievement of modern times. And it was possible because European people stood as one. Some extremist and populist voices call today for a retreat into isolation behind national borders. But the values that bind and hold Europe together are stronger and will always prevail. Our internal EU borders are not barriers, but laboratories for unity, enhancing resilience, fostering dialogue and accelerating the green transition. So my third proposal would be therefore to involve our committee in the council discussions to speed up the European border mechanism. It was you, Chancellor Merkel, who during the most difficult times defended the value of open borders within our union. But in order to keep our internal borders open, we need strong external borders. The EU must defend its territorial sovereignty. The borders of member states are the borders of the European Union. The latest Turkish provocation, which escalated again yesterday, is unacceptable. If this situation persists, sanctions need to be envisaged. And I welcome the German EU Presidency's clear position on this matter. Dear Chancellor Merkel, you are one of the most respected, experienced and trusted world leaders. And we, the one million regional and local leaders all across Europe, we are your allies. We are pragmatic. We deal with the concrete realities on the ground and we deliver solutions. With determination and partnership, together we can turn fear into trust, division into unity, uncertainty into confidence. Gemensheim, together we bring Europe closer to the people. Thank you, Chancellor, for your participation today to the Committee of the Regions Plenary and for everything that you do for Europe. Let's do it together. Thank you very much. Chancellor Merkel, you have the floor. Greetings to Brussels and to the cities and regions. Germany has the EU Presidency in this half a year. And we can say that this is a Presidency that takes place in an exceptional situation. The COVID-19 pandemic forces us to all levels in Europe, in the EU member states, in the regions and in the municipalities. And I would like to say it very clearly, I observe with great concern the increasing number of infections in almost all parts of Europe. And that's why I have to say that the situation is unchanged seriously. We are not allowed to play what we have achieved in the last few months through restrictions. And all of us did not like these restrictions. Many people have lost their lives. And that's why it's so important now that we are now worried that there will be no further lockdown from now on, that there will be no further challenges of our health system. We have to show that we have learned our lessons. And we have to ask people in Europe to be careful, to keep the rules, to keep distance, to wear mouth and nose protection and to do what we can to deal with the virus. And yet to keep our economic activity upright. You, as a mandatory carrier, know about the challenges in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and kindergartens, in companies or in public spaces. And many of you know about the vaccination test, the measures of infection protection for Europe without limits, for people who work in the neighboring countries, for the border crossing cooperation of authorities and for the relations of our societies. Ladies and gentlemen, your perspectives on Europe, your experiences and your commitment, these are especially what Europe needs to stand through this difficult time, to take responsibility on the spot. Without you, as a state and government leader, we can't move as little as without the citizens and citizens of Europe. And that's why I would like to say thank you to all those who take responsibility in the municipalities and regions. The crisis management is, of course, a great task, which of course will work better if we pull on one strand in Europe. And therefore it was extremely important to cut a comprehensive package to introduce the economic and social consequences of the pandemic. The European Credit and Promotion Programme, as well as the decisions of the European Council on the More Year's Finance framework and the building instrument with a total volume of a total of 1.8 billion euros. We are convinced that in such an extraordinary situation, extraordinary measures are also necessary. I am personally convinced of that. But now it is also important to bring the package on the way so that the funds can really be used from the beginning of 2021. And to do so, we work with high pressure on an agreement with the European Parliament. In addition, we need the ratification of the so-called own means decision to go to each member state, that is, the funds for the funds from the recovery fund. For this, I also ask you for your support on the spot. But it is not only about short-term crisis management, but also about future supply. That is why Europe is closing down on new economic opportunities and thus becoming less and less critical and has more jobs. For this, we also have to come up with great tasks such as climate protection and digital change. Both topics are key points of the German Council of Representatives. The competitive ability of Europe is increasingly dependent on how far it is possible to become digital sovereign and also strengthen our binding market in this regard. The joint binding market is the essential basis for the economic success of Europe and each individual member state. But, as already the former Commission President Jacques Delors thought, and I would like to quote him, no one falls in love with a binding market. Therefore, with all discussions about the digitalization and further development of the binding market, there must always be the human being in the center. And that's exactly what makes our European economy and social model. We think of economy and social together. But our way of life and work, of course, does not all part in the world. And therefore, we should be aware of our own ways of digitalization. The same applies to climate protection. I said it in July of the European Parliament and I say it again today. I am convinced that a global solution to climate change is above all possible if Europe takes over a leading role. In the European Council in two days, we will deal with the European climate protection goals. For the German federal government, I can say that we support the proposal of the Commission to reduce emissions up to 2030 to at least 55 percent over 1990. Therefore, we look forward to an agreement on a European climate law. And that's possible in this year. Also in the European asylum and migration policy, we want to continue during the German European Council presidency. Not only, but especially with a look at Moria, it is obvious that we, Europeans, have to be better justified in our humanitarian approach. The joint migration policy is therefore of decisive importance that we have found no common path here until now. It is a heavy burden for Europe. And therefore, I hold the Commission proposal for a new pact on asylum and migration, really for discussion-oriented. In the face of various interests, compromise is required. Every member state will have to make its contribution to a fair solution. In this time, the decisive softening for our future relationship to the United Kingdom is also in place. Fulfillable relationships, not least on numerous existing partnerships, show that an outcome lies in the interest of everyone. The EU is united in the effort to achieve this in the shortest of times. But unfortunately we also have to prepare ourselves for the case that no outcome comes. Ladies and gentlemen, so different, these and other challenges are also there. You all have a common goal. In order to get you there, we need a strong Europe, a Europe with institutions that work well together and a Europe with member states with strong, especially de-central structures, that carry the various conditions in the regions, cities and municipalities. Lived subsidiarities and European arrangements, such as the freedom and freedom of the domestic market and the shengen space, are also good for us in the pandemic. For example, we think of the recording of patients from other EU states or of the supply of critical goods such as protective equipment or medicines. However, we have also experienced that the European cooperation is so to speak not limitless. And I say this myself critically. Especially at the beginning of the pandemic, we have too much in our backs to focus too much on their struggles in our own states. But this experience also explains once again that we need each other. We need a close European cooperation to master major challenges. And that only works together with the citizens and citizens and not over their heads. The conference on the future of Europe will offer an excellent opportunity to exchange us with these questions about how we want to shape Europe and how we want to shape it with the people. We want, so far as the pandemic situation allows, to start the conference during the German presidential election and thus give our motto a special weight. Make Europe strong again together. Thank you very much for your attention and I look forward to your contributions. Thank you very much, Chancellor Merkel. We will now proceed with our debate. And I would like to give the floor to Olga Geblevich from the EPP for four minutes. Thank you. Chancellor Merkel, warm welcome on behalf of the EPP group in the COR. This at stake during the German presidency of the Council is nothing less the future of Europe. The EPP group in the COR strongly believes that the future of Europe is about the stable recovery from the COVID crisis. We need to fight the COVID together in the spirit of solidarity and close partnership between European, national, regional and local authorities. As COR members, we experience every day a real impact of COVID on the ground and we make no illusions that recovery will be fast or easy. We have to win the trust of citizens, local businesses and the industry about the recovery measures today. Otherwise, we are doomed to face a new wave of populism tomorrow. But to win, we cannot give up on cohesion as a European value. The cohesion is foundation on which we have built the European community and there is no doubt that it has improved prosperity in all European regions. Resilience is the new buzzword for many EU policies, but what is really neat is coherent resilience, including all European regions, cities and villages. And we need it now. That is why we expect that next MFF will be up and running as of January 2021 thanks to the German presidency and your personal effort to conclude the negotiations, what you confirmed today. The COVID crisis has shown that in the future of Europe, we also need what you also confirmed today, more digital Europe for the benefits of our citizens and to boost European entrepreneurship and innovation capacities. It should provide a chance for all regions, leaving no one behind. Certainly, we need more cooperative Europe. It means not only good cooperation between countries and EU institutions, but also better regional cross-border cooperation. Dear Chancellor, I am a president of West Pomerania region in Poland, which is bordering region with Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Fopomer regions. You perfectly know how valuable relations and ties we have built on the ground. But the crisis revealed how fragile they are. Strengthening cross-border health cooperation, which is one of the priorities of President Ursula von der Leyen, requires more cooperative Europe in regional and local dimension. We need the green Europe for our children. And we have to remember, some of our region needs a helping hand in this transition more than others. We need to prove the right incentives in our region to make a green deal a success. Before all, the future of Europe is about preserving and improving our democratic model and reconnecting with our citizens. All surveys show that local and regional politicians are mostly trusted among Europeans and we are obliged to take advantage of that fact. The Conference of the Future of Europe is a historic opportunity to reshape European governance by strengthening local dimension. We appreciate efforts of the presidency to launch the conference and we expect that regional and local authorities will find a prominent role as a link with the citizens. Dear Chancellor, the motto of the presidency is together for Europe's recovery. Let's do recovery together, together with us, together with our citizens. Thank you very much. Thank you. The floor now goes to Christophe Rouillon for four minutes. Christophe, you have the floor. Hello, President. We are from different political families, but I wish, as the president of the European Committee of the Regions, to pay tribute to the recent history of European integration. On the one hand during the migration crisis of 2015, on the other hand this year, for your decisive role in the conception of the historical plan of European re-release. You have brought the proof that European solidarity is not a nightmare by accepting that the European Union puts on the table 750 billion euros to face the devastating economic and social consequences of COVID-19. You are part of the great builders of Europe. Madam Chancellor, the annual barometer of regions and cities published yesterday by the European Committee of the Regions brings the proof that Germany and its lenders have been more resistant to the crisis than most other member states. Yes, decentralization is essential to quickly adapt to the economic and social reverse and to ensure a democratic legitimacy to the decisions taken during the crisis. I know that the permanent consultation with the 16 presidents of the lenders is not always a calm flow. However, the results remain incomparably better than what can be achieved by a centralized and direct method. In front of this, I request your support at the European Council so that this approach of decentralized and targeted, this living subsidiarity as you just said, is transposed at the European level, in particular the implementation of the European re-release plan and for the European Union's economic governance. Indeed, the European re-release plan leaves the central government the exclusive power to propose the national investment plans themselves passed on to the crisis of the famous and sometimes even fuming European semesters. However, it is proved that the European semester is not effective due to its vertical approach from the top to the territories. The European semester also remains a black box in terms of transparency and demand for democracy. Neither the European Parliament, nor the European Committee of the Regions, nor the territorial collectivities at the national level nor, for the moment, their place is totally abnormal. Let us please, vigorously, to associate territorial collectivities with the elaboration of the national plans and the follow-up of the European re-release plan. Concretely, at the level of the global agglomeration, for example, how to ensure that the project Milbus Hydrogène, developed by Le Mans Métropole, Le Mans Métropole, which I am the vice-president, is eligible to the European re-release plan in Paris. A last word about the future of European integration. I understand that the leaders of the government have born it in the guidance because of the priority given to the re-release plan and the adoption of the 2021-2027 budget until the end of the year. At least, you have to raise your head and continue to prepare for the future because, as just declared the father of our institution, Jacques Delors, Europe is like a bicycle that does not advance, we do not fall. But Madam Chancellor, could you also, during your presidency of the Council of the European Union, give the impulsion necessary to engage the work of the conference on the future of Europe? We regret that it does not appear explicitly in the strategic agenda adopted by the European Council at the beginning of the month. This conference must not be an exercise of commons for the government, neither institutional re-release, but it must be the opportunity to shoot and the operational conclusions are decentralized of the future of Europe. How to strengthen European solidarity in terms of health? How to ensure that the green-green pact of Franz Timmermans becomes the priority of the European action and concretes itself in all the territories including in my city, Coulaine? Faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, how to give Europe weapons to resist economic and social collapse and to trigger a more solidary, more humanist and more ecological growth? Dear Angela Merkel, you can still do a lot for Europe. We will also count on you and you can count on the 100,000 municipalities and regions of Europe. Phil and Dan Curie are of Merzhamkite and thank you in advance for your answers. Thank you very much Mr. Ruyant. I give the floor now to François de Coster from Renew Europe Group. Madam Chancellor, in the name of the Renew Europe Group, I would like to welcome you to the Committee of the Regions. Earlier in your introduction, you mentioned the catastrophe of Moria. The initiative that you took with the President of the French Republic to welcome children, teenagers, both in Germany, in France and in other member states has illustrated the sense that you gave in terms of solidarity. It turns out that a few days ago, in my town of Saint-Thomas, in the region of France, this fire has also caused the evacuation of an isolated refugee and minor center. Fortunately, this fire has caused no victims, but as in Lesbos. It has brutally reminded our city, its elected, its associated and political partners that we were, without a doubt, not many enough to ensure the responsibility of solidarity. And that in the end, it has led those who do it to try in some way to avoid the absence of a real European policy of migration and asylum by sometimes exceeding their own real capacity with all the risks that this engender. Our city has 15,000 inhabitants. It is located 40 kilometers from Calais and it welcomes every year more than 2,000 young refugees who have failed to cross the line. There are these days, a few days, a few weeks, or even a few months. Some of them will choose to stay with us. They then take back the way of school, they learn a job. Some even came from Pakistan, from Afghanistan, introduced a new sport on Nopoulouse. With them, we have become champions of cricket, winning all the regional championships by sending some of our players to the French team. But for a beautiful story, let's go back to the story. Six years ago, I proposed an opinion to the Committee of Regions. It was adopted unanimously to promote an authentic solidarity in the context of a real European policy in terms of immigration. And I would like to remind you that our common regions do not have the time to wait for European decisions. We act because we are in the first line. Well, that's for this reason. I would like you to believe that we are in the German presidency to go to a solid political agreement and make a pact on immigration and asylum proposed by the Commission a real change of the case. And finally, we can pass solidarity words to the act of solidarity to take back the words of Prime Minister Mitsotakis. Madam Lachance, this is a last word because I don't want to send local collectivities that would be less. I would like to ask all the orators of the Gruppe Rigno Europe during this full session to announce the recent decisions taken by the communes and regions in Poland and which put in place discriminatory policies in regard to their fellow citizens who live in a sexual orientation that does not suit them. We reject these discriminations and we wish that we go further into sanctions once again, of course, on the basis of common values that we build the future of Europe. Thank you. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Merci. Thanks, Mr President, On behalf of the European Alliance, group being congratulations, Madam Chancellor on your hard work, energy and enthusiasm and you have clearly dedicated much of your political life to the betterment of the European Union. The 95,000 Labour Local Regional authorities are vocês of Apple if were saying about Designation of Europe, which they believe are really and local and regional authorities are part of team Europe and we need to be at the heart of delivering our priorities and in particular dealing with the response and recovery to combat COVID-19 and also delivering a faster recovery. My very brief focus today is actually on the delivery of the Leipzig Charter on sustainable European cities which has been renewed under your presidency of the EU. As a COR member I have been involved in the preparatory work and we need to continue to make sure that EU policies regulation funding is fit for cities small to big for the future. Cities that where many of the population converge to for work and they contain many challenges and a true multi-level governance system involving all levels of government needs to focus on cities so they can meet a green and digital transition and the Leipzig Charter I believe is an opportunity to renew such a vision for a more integrated urban development and we need flexible frameworks and financial instruments unlocking sufficient investment for EU's urban areas. And finally Madam Chancellor as you face into another European summit later this week I need to mention the EU trade, the discussion and the impact and no trade deal no deal will actually have on regions across the EU. We are very worried from an Irish perspective as this would take us back decades in relation to the progress achieved on the island of Ireland and our friends in Flanders and parts of the Netherlands the Nord of France are also facing huge economic Brexit related hits which are going to be unavoidable if the EU actually doesn't engage so we hope there's going to be a deal there which is going to be acceptable to both sides but time is out the essence. Good luck for your forthcoming work in this crucial time for the EU and many thanks again for your hard work thank you. Thank you very much the floor now to Satu Hapanen from the Greens group. Mr President, Mrs Chancellor it's a great honor to have a chance to address you today with the message from the Greens in the Committee of Regents. I come from North Finland the city of Oulu at this time of the year we usually wait for the first snow to fall but now I look astonished at my little garden where flowers are still blooming and sunflowers flourishing this all is so exceptional even the migratory birds have not left yet this is what I call climate change while nature tries to cope with changing climate we people struggle with the health crisis how can we win the battle towards these two enemies we have COVID-19 and the climate change the only solution is to tackle these challenges simultaneously the tools have been invented recovery plan together with Green Deal that follows the path of just transition commitment and hard work is needed from us all from each region a city village and each citizen and you Mrs Chancellor you just encourage us to that the economy of Europe has to be transformed to look at the one and sole direction stopping climate change we have to make the transition also in a just and transparent way green economy means sustainability gender balance and just treatment of all the situation requires a true change of human behavior green economy means helping people to re-educate themselves of creating jobs around renewable energy services digitalization and circular economy recovery package must help regions and cities to make sustainable innovations and the funds must not be used to fill the old budget gaps there's no just transition without democracy and last but not least I want to emphasize the quality education as a cornerstone to any development especially we must guarantee that no child no young person is left without education Honourable Chancellor Mrs Merkel Germany has an important even crucial role in helping people to take the leading position as being the first climate neutral continent and I want to see the future generations to be proud of today's decision makers thank you very much thank you very much I give the floor now to Mark Spiesh the head of the German delegation in the committee of the regions mark you have the floor union the corona crisis into tick economy and society the integration of the European Council in July to the annual financial arm and to the reconstruction of the next generation of the EU was from my point of view I think that everyone here clearly made a direction wise success direction wise because this integration in a situation of growing tension between the member states now solidarity and unity is possible because this integration has prevented a break from each other in Europe in the north and south there are still challenges on the way to unity but challenges one of them is the question of the right-wing state conditionalities that are now also in the dialogue in the dialogue it was the former and first president of the eweg commission Walter Hallstein who has the word of Europe as a right-wing community the principle of the right-wing state and especially the independence of the court is still the basis for the implementation of European right-wing member states at the same time the principle of the right-wing state is the basis of personal freedom it is an individual self-determination and sets a counterpoint against collectivist social models that sounds first abstract but the question of the right-wing state conditionalities concerns the european region is very immediate our colleague the city president of washow raffaul jaskovsky has reminded us of this today in advance it is about finding a solution to find the violations against principles in the right-wing state clearly and incomprehensibly sanctioned but not to punish regions that do not respond to these violations and that have partly even imposed on these violations it is clear to me that this is a complex issue but only that is the fact that in addition to the european and national state identity there is also a political identity of regions that they were allowed to know from the sometimes strict experience with the german federalism of the years of the best especially in the pandemic struggle we have seen that Europe is not only in bristol paris and Berlin but also in the level of the regions are formed we have coordinated the pandemic struggle with the cross border task force the pandemic struggle coordinated with our neighbors in belgium and the netherlands and thus achieved the prerequisites to keep the borders open but also thanks to your support when they have supported armin laschet in this course that can be a way for the future the european cooperation must be thought of in the future even stronger intra regional that is also an element of an active subsidiarity that the region demands and hopefully also in the conference in the future of europe and in the organization of the conference here needs the region and here needs a clear role of the region thank you very much thank you mark chancellor merkel i give the floor to you now for your reaction to all the comments that were heard during this debate from our members yes thank you mr president i just want to go into a few points in the fact is the subject of law of course of great importance we are now standing in the german council presidency before the task to find the solution for the release of the financial means together with the european parliament and still a progress for law enforcement to achieve that is not as simple as you think but i hope that we succeed i want to express what mark spoke to him in the end said that it is with the cross border management of the federal north rand west fall great success is border connections or border control is better said to avoid and also fulfill the gap in a difficult pandemic situation with life and that should lead us to future challenges i support all the people who said that next to the pandemic the climate change for us is of great importance and our life will basically change that means so we have to rebuild and also look forward to financial resources in the next seven years to ensure that we do not just as far as so far as so far but also to put climate protection and sustainability on top of the daily order that's why we have, for example, committed to 37 percent of the expenses of the recovery fund for climate measures to use 20 percent for digital that actually shows the future orientation i can promise you that we also support that cities will be developed sustainably and of course the cohesion for the growth and the unity of europe of all great importance the brexit also requires us we will talk about it intensively in two days at the european council we want an outcome that would be good especially from irish perspective urgently necessary we will not leave irland here alone but continue to stick together in these exchange negotiations but we also have to see the realities in the eye because an outcome must of course also be in both sides interests in the british interest but also in the interest of the 27 member states of the european union after all a just once a confirmation that the migration problem should be one of the most difficult that we have to maintain that will also not be able to solve the germany presidency alone but i think we will or we will definitely give all the effort here to discuss the topic intensively lately it will be the point where it is proven that we are all together in europe also too difficult solidarity are capable or whether we are countries that are geographically more exposed than others simply leave a mark i wish me here at this point a solidary europe i thank you and greet you very warmly to brussel thank you very much for your work that you do with the knowledge from before and that's why i was very happy to be a guest thank you very much chancellor merkel thank you very much for your time you should always remember that we the one million regional and local politicians elected politicians of the european union are your best allies in order to bring europe closer to the people thank you very much for your time and effort and so now after this the end of this debate we move on to the next item of today's plenary we move on to the announcement for tomorrow tomorrow we will begin our work at 9 45 we will start with the debate with the european investment bank on funds and recovery we will have the president of the european investment bank with us mr hoeyer and the vice president as well and then we will go on with EU matters for local and regional authorities to continue on after the break with a debate on social affairs we will have nicola schmidt the commissioner for jobs and social rights with us here for a lengthy debate on these issues and then we will go to the announcement of the results of the final votes on the opinions and other documents that we had to vote on during this plenary and we will end our plenary tomorrow at 4 30 p.m brasil's time so for today the meeting is adjourned and we meet tomorrow morning at 9 45 thank you very much