Metsola praises Meloni’s 'common-sense solutions' on EU simplification

{"heading_1":"Metsola's Support for Meloni's Proposals","paragraph_1":"EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola has backed right-wing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's proposals to reduce EU bureaucracy, emphasizing the need for 'common-sense solutions'.","paragraph_2":"Metsola highlighted China as a model for 'common-sense solutions', suggesting that the EU should adopt similar approaches to streamline its bureaucracy and improve the single market.","paragraph_3":"The speech comes as Metsola seeks a third term at the helm of the European Parliament, potentially positioning her for a bid for the European Commission presidency in 2029.","paragraph_4":"Metsola has been actively engaging with Italian officials, including frequent visits to Rome, which has fueled speculation about her potential Italian support for the 2029 presidency bid.","paragraph_5":"The EU's landmark packaging regulation, which passed during Metsola's last mandate, has been a point of contention. She has criticized the law, calling it 'rigid and counterproductive' for SMEs, and has called for its repeal or modification.","paragraph_6":"The regulation requires companies to cover the costs of managing the packaging they place on the market once it becomes waste and appoint a representative in every EU country where they sell their products. The European Commission suggested scrapping this requirement in December, but EU governments and some MEPs oppose the idea.","paragraph_7":"Metsola has called for the Parliament to take the initiative to correct this situation in the coming weeks, and MEPs' work on this file is ongoing. The Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal in October, when lawmakers will negotiate a final version of the text with EU countries."}