Irene Tinagli (S&D). – Mr President, now, there are two issues that concern me in the debate on competitiveness. The first one is nostalgia, this idea that back then everything was working, while at the same time the entire world goes forward accelerating. The US, China, they are investing for the future and we are here thinking maybe how great we were and how we can protect our past.

The second issue is the belief that this challenge is feasible at zero cost. Just with some simplification, we can regain competitiveness. I've heard a lot of colleagues – this is just an illusion. So, yes, simplification is important – I'm for it – but it will not be enough, come on.

Let's look at what is making great the great competitiveness of our competitors. Three things: a large market for goods and services, common rules that govern the functioning of this market, and third, billions and billions of both public and private investments to sustain this competitiveness.

Now, on these three things, we are stuck. We have been stuck for decades. We are prisoners of our own ideologies, nationalism, things like that, that we've also heard today in this Chamber. So now I think it's about time to move forward, and just talking about simplification is a way to avoid talking about the real issues and the real solutions and the real problems of the Union. And it is also a way to show the lack of ambition of this Commission and of the Union.

So, dear Commissioner, the challenges in front of us are really enormous, and we do expect much more from the Commission.

(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question)