VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

statement

Strasbourg

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

KAMALL, Syed (ECR, UK)

Juncker Commission (T)

HARMS, Rebecca (Greens/EFA, DE)

European Commission

Commission's work programme (T)

MALTESE, Curzio (GUE/NGL, IT)

appointment of a member of the European Commission (T)

Election of the European Commission: statements by EP political group leaders

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Group Chairperson , We have a lot of challenges on the European level. I think about the growth question, we have to create jobs, especially for the young people in Europe , we have to guaranty the stability of the currency , respect the rules, and not any more deficit at the European level. We have to find a solution for the migration question, and for EPP additionally, it's a big challenge to have more respect for national level. Europe has not always the duty, the job, to intervene in all the details. We have to respect the national level in a better way. That is the package and then we can start.

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Today the European democracy is working because the citizens are represented in this house, in the European Parliament. We were voting today on the basis of the result of the elections, and we delivered. We promised a top candidate, this was Jean-Claude Juncker, he   is now in office, and we are delivering now on the content. We want to have a better Europe and we will work on this.

SOUNDBITE (English), Syed KAMALL (ECR, UK), Group Chairperson, I think, if you look to the whole Commission it's a bit like a mixed bag. There are some people who are very impressive. We like the vice president of the Commission who said 'do we really need all this legislation?' , and clearly we do have some concerns about the others, for example one Commissioner who was in charge of the French budget bridged the stability and growth pact. We are slightly concerned about that because we are concerned about fiscal discipline.

SOUNDBITE (English), Syed KAMALL (ECR, UK), It's important that people recognise in the UK, that whatever they think of the EU, we are in the EU, and therefore we have to fight the battles that we have to fight. Secondly, that European Parliament has equal power with the 28 governments of the EU , that's why it's important the work what we do here is highlighted and that people can feel it as well.

SOUNDBITE (French), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), ALDE Chairperson, This is a Commission with big ambitions, not like the preceding one, which before acting first waited for the green light from Berlin and Paris, so that will change a lot. Secondly this is a Commission which put in to light the growth and the investments, so we need a big plan, we are waiting for this big plan. Thirdly it is a Commission respecting the European values, but we cannot accept someone like Mr Navracsics. He is having the culture portfolio, OK, we will watch him closely. I know that all the culture stage in Europe is on alerting mode . We will work closely with the opera directors, the actors, the scriptwriters, especially to defend them against any kind of tentative of that type.

SOUNDBITE (English), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), Group Chairperson, I'm convinced that Jean-Claude Juncker can make the difference. We've seen a major democratic change because he is the first Commission President who has been elected , based on the support of the EP, at the beginning against the Council. I doubt on the procedure on which we decided on his Commission . The hearings had no chance to change the portfolios or the persons in this team of Juncker. I see this is the very, very weak point as a start for the new Commission President. Our 'NO' vote from the Greens group in the EP is mainly also a critique against this procedure and in addition we are very disappointed on the offers on sustainable development, better functioning of social Europe and the regulation of the financial market.

SOUNDBITE (French), Curzio MALTESE (GUE/NGL, IT), Group Coordinator for Culture EP Committee , Mr Juncker is having a veritable sense of humour. He put as Commissioner for Culture a person who was the protagonist in Hungary for the law against the freedom of the press. We aren't making now a process to one country or one government, but we can't accept to have a Commissioner for culture and managing the education of our children a person who violated the fundamental principles of the EU.

SOUNDBITE (French), Curzio MALTESE (GUE/NGL, IT), I voted against him also in the EP Culture Committee . Mr Juncker ignored this vote, not only the will of the EP members but also the will of the citizens who voted for us.