Opening statements on the review of the Maltese Presidency, during the EP plenary session (3-6 July 2017) in Strasbourg. Statements by Joseph MUSCAT, Maltese Prime Minister, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, and Antonio TAJANI, EP President.&nbsp;

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

JUNCKER, Jean-Claude (LU)

MUSCAT, Joseph (PSE, MT)

Maltese presidency of the EU (T)

Review of the Maltese Presidency: extracts from the opening statements

SOUNDBITE (English), Joseph MUSCAT, Maltese Prime Minister, During the last 6 months we achieved a lot in terms in making a difference in people&rsquo;s life, we closed important dossiers, ending roaming charges, introducing cross-border portability which affects apps, which we use in daily life, moved ahead with the wifi for EU initiative, other important dossiers which we closed where the anti-tax avoidance; the double taxation dispute resolution mechanism, better protection for workers from cancer causing substances, rules on business to consumer context for supply of digital content, the EU joined the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, we have also seen serious advancement on gas security of supply paved the way for 5G and reached an agreement on the Malta declaration charting the EU&rsquo;s way forward.

SOUNDBITE (English), Joseph MUSCAT, Maltese Prime Minister, Countries who are like us home to thousands of migrants and have been for the past decade or so, countries like Italy have seen hundreds of thousands of children, women and men reach their shores and now we look at Europe at politicians and think, this Europe on this issue is a failure.

SOUNDBITE (English), Joseph MUSCAT, Maltese Prime Minister, We agree with the need for more financial transparency for NGO&rsquo;s more specifically who is funding them and why. Not to engage in some war of words with these organisations, but to make sure that we all play by the same rules. We agree also that there need to be clear rules of engagement, not to engage in Libyan territorial waters and the need for more coordination between the coast guards involved.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, The European Parliament is ridiculous, very ridiculous. I greet that have made effort to be present in this chamber, but the fact that around 30 MEPs are present for this debate proofs that the EP is not serious and I wanted to stress it today. If Mr Muscat would be Ms Merkel, difficult to imagine, or Mr Macron, easier imagine, we would have a full house.

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, I beg you Mr President, you can criticize the EP, yes, but the COM does not control the Parliament it is the Parliament which is controlling the COM.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, I will never, never again attend a meeting of this kind, the COM is under the control of the EP but the EP has to respect even the presencies of smaller countries and what the Parliament is not doing.