Press conference on the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) in the EP in Brussels. Statements by José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT) and Udo BULLMANN (S&D, DE), rapporteurs, Jean ARTHUIS (ALDE, FR), Chair of the EP Committee on Budgets and Roberto GUALTIERI (S&D, IT), Chair of the EP Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.

Brussels

press conference

GUALTIERI, Roberto (S&D, IT)

BULLMANN, Udo (S&D, DE)

ARTHUIS, Jean (ALDE, FR)

FERNANDES, José Manuel (EPP, PT)

European Fund for Strategic Investments (T)

Press conference by José Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), Udo BULLMANN (S&D, DE), rapporteurs, Jean ARTHUIS (ALDE, FR) and Roberto GUALTIERI (S&D, IT) on European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI)

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/11939540/I101754Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (French), Jos&#233; Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), Co-rapporteur, "I'd like to say that we have had an enormous majority. And, for the people that thought that the Parliament had doubts, it's a very strong vote that gives us an excellent position for the negotitations."

SOUNDBITE (French), Jos&#233; Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), Co-rapporteur, "Our objective is to defend 'Horizon 2020' and 'Connecting Europe Facility' as much as we can, also in this proposal."

SOUNDBITE (English), Udo BULLMANN (S&amp;D, DE), Co-rapporteur, "it's also our baby or, predominantly our baby. We would like to have an eye on the governance structure. There was already talk, after the financial crisis, a lot of talk about empolyment initiatives, anti-crisis initiatives, etcetera, etcetera, nothing really functioned well, to be honest. This time it has to be different."

SOUNDBITE (English), Udo BULLMANN (S&amp;D, DE), Co-rapporteur, <p>"Today we received a strong mandate. A strong backing for the negotiation which is immediately to be started with the Council and this strong mandate has two messages - Jos&eacute; Manuel - already outlined that. Two messages: first of all, the House is united in its whish, we would like to see these strategic investment ideas, this strategic investment plan to become a success."</p>

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean ARTHUIS (ALDE, FR), "It was a challenge to reach, without any waste of time, a very large agreement. It's true that the European Parliament, like every other parliament, is strongest when it unites and is able to express a unified position".  

SOUNDBITE (French), Jos&#233; Manuel FERNANDES (EPP, PT), Co-rapporteur, "This Fund has the objective of making profit. So it's logic that the income generated needs to be directed to the lines (of the budget) that are going to be afected."

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberto GUALTIERI (S&amp;D, IT), "The two political groups of the two rapporteurs has slightly less than 55% of the members. We have here from 75 to 80% and I would like to stress, that this 80%, the higher percentagem is on the mandate to go to the trilogue."

SOUNDBITE (English), Udo BULLMANN (S&amp;D, DE), Co-rapporteur, "Once you have more applications than money, the priority building should be organised by the use of a scoring system that indicates cumulative advantages on EU-adde value,  so to speak. "

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean ARTHUIS (ALDE, FR), "It's a confidence pact. And, therefore, we demand to the investment commitee to stick to its mission as it has been framed and to report on their decissions. We will see, as we move forward, how all this takes shape. So we can't imagine any sort of fragmentation of the fund in many different categories."