Antonio TAJANI, EP President, gives a press conference at the Special meeting of the European Council, in Brussels, where they discuss on nominations for the EU's top jobs. The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

Brussels

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

press conference

2019 European elections (T)

European Council meeting 30 June 2019 (T)

Press conference by Antonio TAJANI, EP President, at the Special meeting of the European Council, 30/06/2019

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Good evening everybody. In the council I restated the position of the European Parliament when it comes to the choice of the future president of the European Commission. As you know at the basis of all this here this is about the treaty.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, They have to indicate the name to the Parliament the name of the candidate and the basis of the election results are restated to Council that as far as the European Parliament just concerned. The principal is the lead candidate principal.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, This is something which was also restated today at the meeting of the presidents of the groups in parliament with the president of Council Donald Tusk. And this is also contained in a document which has been approved by the European Parliament a few months ago.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, I pointed out to them that the president in the past when we were asked what we mean by lead candidate system the only president we have for that is the election of Jean Claude Juncker. He was the lead candidate from the group that won the election in 2014 and was immediately recognized as the winner.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, ] He was the clear lead candidate that emerged from that. And there was also the lead candidate of the Socialist group under President Martin Schulz.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, ] So this is the only precedent we have for this procedure. I also told the Council that we will be electing soon the president of the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Another recession will be on the second election and the third and I pointed out that the choice of the president of the parliament is entirely independent of Council of the member states.

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, In other words parliament will elect its own Parliament irrespective of what council decides. If there's an agreement or a lack of an agreement between the member states Parliament will proceed. So these were the points that I raised to the council and are similar to what I said at the last year.