Maria João Rodrigues (S&D). – Madam President, we have a clear and consistent line to deal with Brexit. So this is good news and it creates good conditions for our negotiators to start their work. In this way we can also devote more energy to dealing with our own future. In both things, Brexit and our own future, the concern with citizens should be our central focus.

When it comes to the roadmap for the future of European Union, the starting point to define the roadmap is to build up a convincing social pillar addressing the concerns of our peoples, but particularly young people, when they are dealing today with the so-called ‘digital revolution’. We need to make sure they have a proper contract and full access to social protection. We need to build up welfare systems for the 21st century.

Then we also need to address our citizens’ concerns when we set new trade agreements in order to protect proper social and environmental standards. We need a new generation of these trade agreements. Again, we need to address citizens’ concerns when managing the migration and refugee crisis because we know that the real solution for this is to address the root of the problem by supporting neighbourhood development and peace building. All of these must be translated into a community budget of the future.

Our task is immense, and that is why we should work now with a real focus on a scenario which is not one or two of five, but should be a simple one: let us work together for much better solutions on the relevant priorities.