During the EP Plenary session (13-16/02) in Strasbourg,Siegfried MURESAN (EPP, RO), Maria Joao RODRIGUES (S&amp;D, PT), Kazimierz Michal UJAZDOWSKI (ECR, PL), Charles GOERENS (ALDE, LU), Barbara SPINELLI (GUE/NGL, IT), Pascal DURAND (Greens/EFA, FR) and Nigel FARAGE (EFDD, UK) debate on the Future of the EU

RODRIGUES, Maria João (S&D, PT)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

FARAGE, Nigel (NI, UK)

SPINELLI, Barbara (GUE/NGL, IT)

future of the European Union (T)

MUREŞAN, Siegfried (EPP, RO)

DURAND, Pascal (S&D, FR)

GOERENS, Charles (Renew, LU)

UJAZDOWSKI, Kazimierz Michał (NI, PL)

Future of the EU: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MURE&#536;AN (EPP, RO), An essential component in this debate is the strengthening of the economic and monetary union. The first step that we have to do in this process is respecting existing rules. Respect the Stability and Growth Pact, the respect the Two-pack, respect the six-pack. These are rule which we have decide together in this House, and now is the time to defend these rules, to implement them and not to question them.

SOUNDBITE (English), Maria Jo&#227;o RODRIGUES (S&amp;D, PT), The world is waiting for a positive message coming from the European Union. And then we need to translate all this into new means to act, this has implications for the community budget, we need to have a community budget attuned to the future, and we believe this is the best way for citizens to get control of their lives and the best way to ensure national sovereignty is also to strengthen European sovereignty.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Kazimierz Micha&#322; UJAZDOWSKI (ECR, PL), We would need such a change, if everybody was really convinced that you can actually improve the EU by improving the treaties. The Lisbon Treaty is a relatively recent treaty, and we still have yet to fully use its potential.

SOUNDBITE (French), Charles GOERENS (ALDE, LU), We are concerned when we see the fragility of some Member States that are on the brink of falling into the hands of populists. So let's place European citizens at the heart of the European project, European citizenship, that is the most precious aquis of the European endeavour. If we wish to properly recognise that value then I would urge you to listen to British citizens and to those calling for citizenship of the EU.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Barbara SPINELLI (GUE/NGL, IT), If you have read the two reports, The Bresso Brok report and the Verhofstadt report, you can see that there is no real solution to the crisis in these two reports. Not even an attempt to understand this crisis because no mistakes are recognised as being mistakes. These solutions are technical, institutional, because crises are being perceived as events, external, alienated events, not as failures of the Union.

SOUNDBITE (French), Pascal DURAND (Greens/EFA, FR), We have to move away from this idea of the European Council blocking decisions that are taken at the level of this European Parliament. So we need to have a Europe that has a Council which is clear, which is a second chamber, which is transparent, we need to move away from the current logic which is all about Member States fighting for themselves, instead we should be fighting for Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nigel FARAGE (EFDD, UK), Just last week Chatham House, the reputable group, published a massive survey from 10 European Member States, and only 20% of people want immigrations from muslim countries to continue. Just 20%.want us to keep on allowing people in from muslim countries, which means, your voters have a harder line position on this than Donald TRUMP, or myself or frankly any party sitting in this parliament. And that is where we are going.