Statements by Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE),&nbsp; Gianni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), Syed KAMALL (ECR, UK) and Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE) on travel restrictions following US president executive orders during the EP plenary session (01-02/02) in the EP in Brussels.

Brussels

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

debate

plenary session

EU - USA (T)

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

PITTELLA, Gianni (S&D, IT)

KAMALL, Syed (ECR, UK)

MOGHERINI, Federica (IT, EC)

US immigration policy (T)

Travel restrictions following US president executive orders: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, As a good friend of the United States, I believe Europe has a duty to be clear, respectful and clear whenever disagreements arises. Especially when it relates to our fundamental values. And we certainly disagree with the executive order issued by the President of the United States on the 27th February. As many in the US seemed to disagree too. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, The US Department of State has clarified yesterday that the citizens of the European Union will not be affected by the ban. Even if they hold dual-citizenship in one of the seven countries listed in the executive order. We welcome this clarification, let me be absolutely clear this does not change our overall assessment about the executive order.

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, No one! No one can be deprived of his or her own rights because of their place of birth, their religion and their ethnicity. This is written in our own constitutions both in Europe and in America. This is who we are, this is our identity, this is something we cannot forget.

SOUNDBITE (English), Federica MOGHERINI, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the EC, The European Union will not turn back anyone who has the right to international protection. This is where we stand and this is where we continue to stand. It will not be morale, it will not be just, it will not be legal and it will not be in our interest. Because this kind of measure has the potential to increase tensions and mistrusts along peoples and nations. When I say among people, I also mean people from our own societies and I am worried by the trends we are seeing inside the American society in these days and that&rsquo;s why with a lot of respect, I invited the President of the United States to pay attention to what is happening in his own country.

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), The US is supposed to be the country of freedom, is supposed to be the country of immigration, that&rsquo;s the picture I&rsquo;ve always had in my mind&hellip; And now we have this individualised suspicion of certain countries and certain peoples and that just leads to hatred and xenophobia. The Canadian man who shot Muslim people in Ottawa referred explicitly to Trump!

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Gianni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), It would be good from Member States to call their ambassadors for consultations with regards of what&rsquo;s going on in the US; that would be a symbolic act. It would also be a good thing not to see Trump being invited to Europe until this issue is resolved.

SOUNDBITE (English), Syed KAMALL (ECR, UK), So those of us who believe that law should be fear, that it should be equality under the law, that the primary functions of law should be enforcements of contracts and social order will rightly be concerned by this arbitrary ban.  Which affects not only Muslims, but also affects Christians fleeing persecutions and war.     

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), We can do one thing that unite us, fight back as the European Union and I hope in Valetta it will not only be the letter and I support the letter of President Tusk on his behalf. That will be the conclusion. I hope for once all European leaders have the courage to stand up together with the European Parliament and fight back these bunch of nationalists and populists who want to destroy us!    