Press conference and&nbsp;statement&nbsp;by Martin SCHULZ, EP President, on the European Council, 15/12/2016

Brussels

statement

meeting

press conference

SCHULZ, Martin (S&D, DE)

meeting of the European Council

European Council meeting 15 December 2016 (T)

European Council, 15/12/2016: arrival of Martin SCHULZ, EP President, extracts from the press conference and from the statement

Arrival of EP President Martin SCHULZ to the EU Council

Atmosphere shots before the round table meeting starts. EP President greeting and talking to EU leaders (11 shots)

Arrival of EP President to the press conference

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, (On the situation in Aleppo) I have made an appeal that corridors for humanitarian convoys should be established very quickly to permit free access to humanitarian aid and we also need to see the necessary funds to be guaranteed by the EU; I also stressed that those who are guilty of war crimes have to be hold accountable for these atrocities, that is the position of the EP that always have insisted that any crimes against humanity have to be prosecuted in the International Human Rights Court.

<p>SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, On the sanctions against Russia and the recent appeals by Washington to suspend the sanctions; we in the Parliament believe that the EU&rsquo;s defence and security policy should not be decided in a capital of a non-EU state, but here in Brussels. That&rsquo;s why the continuation of our sanctions vis-a-vis Russia is a point which will remain in our agenda until we&rsquo;ve had a full implementation of the Minsk agreement, there are no doubts in our respect from our side.</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, (On Brexit) All results of the negotiations of Mr Barnier have to be ratified in detail at the end in the European Parliament. And if you want to get a majority, then it is meaningful to include the EP (in the negotiations)

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, The dream of some people that the answer in the 21st century of our globalised world is renationalisation, is in my eyes not only narrow, it is playing with the fate of the next generation; and therefore, an irresponsibility.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, We have to deliver solutions, concrete solutions for a better life of the citizens; If couples work both and with both salaries they can&rsquo;t pay the rest of their apartment, or they invested everything in the education of their children but their children are unemployed, I understand the citizens who are disappointed. What we have to deliver is that the richest part of the world, that&rsquo;s the single market of the EU, will not maintain this poor distribution of our wealth within the countries and within the society. 