EP President Metsola meets His Majesty King Philippe, King of the Belgians, before he addresses the plenary. This news item shows the arrival, meeting and extracts from the address in plenary. This will be the first time King Philippe will have addressed the European Parliament. One of his predecessors, King Baudouin, appeared before MEPs in 1987, during a plenary session in Strasbourg.

Brussels

meeting

visit

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

formal sitting

EU - Belgium (T)

PHILIPPE OF BELGIUM (BE, King)

Belgian Presidency of the EU (T)

president's agenda

Visit of Philippe, King of the Belgians to the European Parliament: arrival, meeting with Roberta METSOLA, EP President and extracts from the address in plenary

External shot of the European Parliament in Brussels 

Arrival of Philippe, King of Belgians to the European Parliament, and welcome by Roberta METSOLA, EP President 

Welcome to King Philippe by European Parliament team 

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, and Philippe, King of Belgians, walking on the red carpet 

Family photo and hymns ceremony (8 shots)

Signature of the Golden book by King Philippe of Belgium (2 shots)

Meeting between Roberta METSOLA, EP President, and Philippe, King of Belgians

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, and Philippe, King of Belgians, walking in corridors (6 shots)

Arrival of Philippe, King of Belgians to the hemicycle, in the company of Roberta METSOLA, EP President (4 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, It is a privilege for the European Parliament to welcome you in our Brussels hemicycle while Belgium holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Brussels, the centre of Europe, is the host of many European institutions and the home of the European Parliament. We are grateful to be here and thousands of Europeans serving Europe are proud to call Belgium home.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), King Philippe, King of Belgians, The European institutions have been based here in Brussels since the beginning. And this Paul-Henri Spaak Building, named in honour of the historic Belgian pioneer of the European project, is the beating heart of European democracy. This is where the aspirations, wishes, concerns and grievances of 450 million European citizens are expressed.

SOUNDBITE (French), King Philippe, King of Belgians, The construction of Europe is a formidable journey, one step at a time. Negotiations with certain countries from our Eastern Partnership and the Western Balkans will soon take place. Expanding the Union also means strengthening it. The 27 will be called to act more decisively, especially if we are to have more Member States. But in line with the Conference on the Future of Europe, we need to draw some conclusions from past crises.

SOUNDBITE (French), King Philippe, King of Belgians, Democracy is not only a guarantee of freedom and justice, but also of human values, including our capacity to feel indignation in the face of the suffering of people caught up in inhumane wars. The current global crisis therefore has a moral dimension. Individuals must remain the measure in all things, and cannot be the possession of a state, or used to glorify a leader, a single religion or a single ethnic group.

<p>SOUNDBITE (English), King Philippe, King of Belgians, We aim to protect, strengthen and prepare our Europe for the future. With conviction, confidence and hope. Thank you.</p>

Cutaways of the applauses of the hemicycle (8 shots)