During the plenary session (21-24/10/2019) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs take stock of the work done by the outgoing Commission during its five-year mandate. Statements by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES), Dacian CIOLOŞ (RE, RO), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE) and Manon AUBRY (GUE/NGL, FR).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

LAMBERTS, Philippe (Greens/EFA, BE)

GARCÍA PÉREZ, Iratxe (S&D, ES)

Juncker Commission (T)

CIOLOŞ, Dacian (Renew, RO)

AUBRY, Manon (The Left, FR)

Review of the Juncker Commission: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), <p>You did not made compromises on the fundamental values of Europe, on Europe as a continent of democracy and the rule of law, equality, protection of minorities and basically a Europe of freedom. For this Europe you fought, and inside and outside Europe you made no compromises. Thank you very much for that. You have livened the idea of Europe, and as for populist on the left and the right, you tackle them decisively.</p>

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARC&#205;A P&#201;REZ (S&amp;D, ES), It was very ambitious and not easy and you have said we have to go through the most severe financial crisis, also a migration crisis without precedent which was faced by the Member States with a huge lack of solidarity, and then Brexit as well, another problem. Now the important thing is to know what went wrong so we do not make the same mistakes again. We always been alongside in order to defend the values and the interests of the Union. We, democrats, have always acted responsibly defending the European project, democracy, the rule of law and human rights. 

SOUNDBITE (French), Dacian CIOLO&#350; (RE, RO), <p>You also wanted a politic Commission and you have laid out the way for a even more political Commission in the future. I think this is the way that we can find solutions to European problems. We need to have strength and dialogue between European institutions. We need to step by step build the Europe that was always at the heart of your commitment. Thank you very much to Jean Claude Juncker, thank you to all of your Commission for showing what it means to really work for Europe.</p>

SOUNDBITE (French), Philippe LAMBERTS (Greens/EFA, BE), You have a social conscience, but your environmental conscience, I think, remains to be achieved. The house is burning due to a depleting biodiversity and resources. Free trade treaties are driving this, including capital investments with non-binding environmental, social and governance standards. May treaties, including that with the US, where you have pursued a productive agricultural policy disregarding climate and biodiversity impacts. You blocked all progress on binding endocrine disruptors, and have not democratise GMO's authorisation. Often your Commission refused to opposed interest of big businesses, for example, protecting businesses secrets, contrasting with a weak hand defending whistle-blowers or standing up to the responsibilities and trickeries of the car industry. 

SOUNDBITE (French), Manon AUBRY (GUE/NGL, FR), Mr Juncker, when we look at the state of play how can we not talk about tax evasion, the Paradise Papers, the Panama Papers, the Lux Leaks, I believe you are one of the orchestrators of this in your own country, in Luxembourg, which is still not seen as a tax haven in the eyes of the EU. Trying to tackle this with you as head of the EU despite the efforts of certain Commissioners which we should welcome, but those efforts are almost as if we ask Monsanto to test our pesticides.

EP President, David SASSOLI, close the debate with a goodbye to European Commission President Jean Claude JUNCKER.

Applause to European Commission President Jean Claude JUNCKER (4 shots)