Statements by EP political group leaders on the State of the Union 2011, during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg.

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

SCHULZ, Martin (S&D, DE)

HARMS, Rebecca (Greens/EFA, DE)

DAUL, Joseph (EPP, FR)

ZAHRADIL, Jan (ECR, CZ)

state of the Union 2011 (T)

DOWGIELEWICZ, Mikolaj (PL)

State of the Union 2011: extracts from the statements by EP political group leaders

Cutaways. Arrivals and general views of the chamber.

SOUNDBITE (French), Joseph DAUL (EPP, FR), We must replace the national method by the European method, by the community method because that is the only way in which we will be able to solve the very urgent problems of Europe. In the moments of crisis you, very often, want to turn inwards, but no, you need to go out and look for the community, the European method.

SOUNDBITE (French), Joseph DAUL (EPP, FR), I also call upon the Commission to take up the convergence methods for fiscal reasons, mainly for business, but also to converge the retirement age, the weekly working hours. The Europeans will not be solidarity unless they see to apply comparable rules; it is there that we can feel Europeans. And I am convinced that strong decisions rapidly taken by the 17 on this triple convergence would have an effect and it would be a clear sign of leadership on the part of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHULZ (S&amp;D, DE), What we don't need is diplomacy between the capitals. What we need is for the Europeans system of treaties to be respected. We are not some kind of random generator, we have a system of treaties, a legal system, we have community institutions, and we have challenges to deal with: environment, currency, migration, none of those things can be dealt with by the capitals acting alone. The only way we can do it is by acting as a community through its institutions working together.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Now you have to repeat it in another place: somewhere in Brussels, the Council, there it has to be said. I am not longer there but I am sure that we shall know what you shall say there. You have to repeat it there, and tell them that the intergovernmental method is a bad method, that it can not work and why it can not work? Because it needs unanimity and unanimity -the Polish know, at the 18th century Poland disappeared even by unanimity role in the bodies' parliament in the 18th century, that's history and reality. So that can happen, the same can happen to Europe, if we continue with this unanimity rule. We have to abolish it!!!

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Mister Juncker, Mister Van Rompuy, Mister Rehn, Mister Barroso, the President of the ECB, we have at least 5 people who are representing Europe!!! We need one. And it can only be a Commissioner, a Senior Commissioner that you have to appoint, make him European Minister of Finances and that all this discussion of who is representing Europe is over. And secondly, I missed one important element in your proposals that is a European plan to recapitalise the European banks.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jan ZAHRADIL (ECR, CZ), For instance, another wrong decision you came with, you have just mentioned is the financial transaction tax. Because it sounds fine, for the first look, just a small fee of transactions. In the real world, such a tax would lead to only one conclusion that states, and institutions would seriously reconsider their location and they would leave the European market, and this would undermine the European economy. it is very simple, Mr. president, we need new EU paradigm for the 21st century; unfortunately I have to say that this is a very good change, almost no chance, that this new paradigm is to be born in this very building, in this very assembly.

SOUNDBITE (German), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), There is an increasing need, given the debt crisis, for us to act. We have got steps but we need to be sure that these steps do not lead to further injustices. We can't act simply on the economic measures.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mikolaj DOWGIELEWICZ, President of the European Council, From the Council Presidency side, on the economic and monetary Union, on Schengen, on Foreign and security policy, on the single market, on energy, and all the issues that President Barroso raised today, you can count from the Presidency side for the approach that will include more Europe, not less Europe, more support for community method rather for intergovernmentalism and finally support for the ever closer Union not for the ever losing Union.