During the EP plenary session (13 - 16 March 2017) in Strasbourg, MEPs take stock of the outcome of the 9-10 March European Council, and discuss the &ldquo;Rome declaration&rdquo; marking the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, with Donald TUSK, President of the&nbsp;Council, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Louis GRECH, Maltese Deputy Prime Minister, and Paolo GENTILONI, Italian Prime Minister. Statements by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Gianni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), Raffaele FITTO (ECR, IT), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE)and&nbsp; Rosa D'AMATO (EFDD, IT).

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

PITTELLA, Gianni (S&D, IT)

FITTO, Raffaele (ECR, IT)

LAMBERTS, Philippe (Greens/EFA, BE)

EU - Italy (T)

ZIMMER, Gabriele (GUE/NGL, DE)

European Council meeting 9-10 March 2017 (T)

60th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome (T)

D'AMATO, Rosa (Greens/EFA, IT)

Conclusions of the European Council meeting of 9 and 10 March 2017, including the Rome Declaration: extracts from the statements by the political group leaders

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), EPP Group leader, On the Turkey question we need to consider how this can continue. We need to consider the question whether full membership is realistic after this refererendum. Our group would like close partnership in economic areas, in visas, in student exchanges, but we must be honest and say that full membership for Turkey in the EU in the foreseeable future is not a realistic position. We need to say that to Europe's citizens.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Gianni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), S&amp;D Group leader, We don't want a status quo. Populism is strong. And populism is strong not only when we are not able to explain our achievements, they are also strong when we look weak and resigned. If we stand united and if we show courage, then we can face them down.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Raffaele FITTO (ECR, IT), At the 60th anniversary of the first treaty we should be calling for certain clear choices. First of all, a new, real renegotiation of all existing treaties, covering all the Member States of the union, no further ceding of sovereignty outside the union, so as to achieve full control for Member States.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), ALDE Group leader, It&rsquo;s good that we condemn what is happening in Turkey but at a certain moment Mr. President of the Commission and Mr. President of the Council let&rsquo;s be honest, let&rsquo;s freeze the accession negotiations now.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), ALDE Group leader, Do we need more Europe, do we need less Europe? Do we need more or less? I think it's a stupid question. In some cases and in some fields we need less Europe, we need less bureaucracy, we need less regulation for example in our internal market, we need maybe less commissioners in the future and a small European government, we need no regulation on toilet bulbs or vacuum cleaners, on our bananas, on cucumbers. There we don't and there we need less Europe. But at the same time we all are aware of the fact the we need more Europe in a number of other issues.

SOUNDBITE (German), Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE), GUE/NGL Group leader, But what you could do for example and here I am talking to all the Presidents here today, is to establish a declaration in Rome about the European Union which was signed up to an extended social charter, that would be an initial signal saying at the same time we are working on this social pillar.

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), Greens/EFA Group leader, If you want this to be a new departure, with new European enthusiasm, well the Rome meeting has to that where a change of direction will be promoted. We need a fairer Europe, that lays down social minimum standards in all Member States, not tax and social competition, but social and fiscal convergence upwards. We need a Europe that puts the energy transition at the heart of its investment.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Rosa D&apos;AMATO (EFDD, IT), We in Rome shall be proposing the 5 Star White paper, the last chance for a Europe of citizens. Are you going to be answering people out there, people with their problems and their needs, are you going to stop building fortresses that look like prisons? Because otherwise we will be facing up to the ghosts of the past, or will be suffocated under the ruins of the mistakes that we have been making up until now.