In the framework of the incoming Belgian Presidency, EP Conference of Presidents meets with Members of the Belgian government in the Palais d'Egmont, in Brussels. Arrivals and statements by Yves LETERME, Belgian Prime Minister and Jerzy BUZEK, EP President.

Brussels

statement

meeting

BUZEK, Jerzy (EPP, PL)

LETERME, Yves (BE)

Belgian Presidency of the EU (T)

EP Conference of Presidents meets with the Belgian Presidency: arrivals and statements by Yves LETERME, Belgian Prime Minister and Jerzy BUZEK, EP President

Arrival of Rebecca HARMS, Co-Chair of the Greens/Europe Free Alliance group

Arrival of Olivier CHASTEL, Belgian Secretary of State in European Affairs

Arrival of Laurette ONKELINX, Belgian Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs

Arrival of Annemie TURTELBOOM, Belgian Minister of Internal Affairs

Arrival of Steven VANACKERE, Belgian Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Institutional Reforms

Arrival of Guy VERHOFSTADT, Chair of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats of Europe group

Arrival of Kris PEETERS, Flemmish Minister-President

Arrival of Yves LETERME, Belgian Prime Minister

Arrival of Melchior WATHELET, Belgian Secretary of State on Budget Affairs

Arrival of Stefan DE CLERCK, Belgian Minister of Justice

Round table, arrivals of Belgian ministers

Arrival of the delegation of the European Parliament

Yves LETERME, Belgian Prime Minister and Cabinet

General view of the conference room (2 shots)

Hand shake between Jerzy BUZEK, EP President and Yves LETERME, Belgian Prime Minister

SOUNDBITE (English), Yves LETERME, Belgian Prime Minister, I seized the opportunity to underline that the preparation of the Belgian Presidency of the EU, the rotating Presidency, was a work that on my initiative has been done in cooperation with the regional and community governments. That means that as a consequence of this approach today I can say that more than 85 percent of the new federal parliament is composed by parties, people that have been involved in the preparation of the program of the Belgian Presidency of EU. Since we had elections the 13th of June of course there will be once upon a time a new government that will take over, but there is a consensus about the program we discussed with a political approach, that we discussed today with the representatives of the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy Karol BUZEK, EP President, I believe that the Presidency of Belgium, a founding member of the EU, will work in the spirit of the Community method. It was as a matter of fact the main message of the EP today, because we need more Europe, not less Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy Karol BUZEK, EP President, There are two chambers today, both of them responsible in co-decision process, rotating presidency and European Parliament. We have much more work together because co-decision is in almost 95 percent of legislation, till now it was only 40 percent of legislation. It is a great responsibility of both sides.