Brussels, 9 July (LaPresse) – ‘As Mario Draghi pointed out, defence and energy transition are the main drivers for strengthening our competitiveness. Indeed, the green transition represents an opportunity for Europe to take the lead, modernise our industry, create clean jobs, reduce energy costs and strengthen energy security.’ This was stated by European Council President Antonio Costa in his speech to the European Parliament plenary session on the conclusions of the European Council meeting on 26 June. ‘And it is, of course, essential to address the existential threat of climate change,’ he continued. "Because we can stop the clock on European rules, but we cannot stop the clock on climate change. This means that we cannot reduce our ambition and give up on our climate goals. But to reduce emissions, we do not need more bureaucracy. We must achieve our goals, not through bureaucratic pollution, but by ensuring that no one is left behind by the climate transition," he stressed.