David SASSOLI, EP President, speaks to the press on the European Council (10-11 December 2021) in Brussels. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Brussels

press conference

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

European Council meeting 10-11 December 2020 (T)

Press conference by David SASSOLI, EP President, on the European Council (10-11 December 2021)

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jaume DUCH GUILLOT, Spokesperson and Director-General for Communication of the EP, Good afternoon, everybody. The president has just returned from the European Council. We'll give him the floor. And then, of course, there'll be time for questions from journalists here in the room or also, of course, to journalists who are in contact with us via interactio.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, Thank you very much, everybody, for coming. Climate was good in the council and everybody seemed very focussed on providing a response to citizens with the instruments that we've got. I made the Parliament's point of view clear and on the basis of the results of the negotiations, which have improved the instruments which the council has put on the table in July.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, We've made improvements in terms of the union's programmes, so the multiannual financial framework. And on the rule of law, we are convinced that the German presidency has carried out a very important piece of work and naturally, we are hoping that this will garner consensus this evening and today or tomorrow so that the council can then launch the mechanism and the parliament can vote on provisions next week.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, So we can see that we are satisfied the European response arrives on time. There are no delays. So there is an awful lot of expectation, of course, because all of this means that European citizens can show confidence or trust in in Europe. It's a very. Well, that is the case because we've been through rather a difficult year, so I think that things were quite positive in the council.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, And the parliament, of course, will give its view on things next week on the recovery measures, on the council agenda. There are other issues, too, when it comes to the Mediterranean and Turkey. I pointed out that the parliament adopted a resolution to ensure the integrity of the island of Cyprus.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, The point of this is that we are talking about our member states space and if sanctions need to be adopted because Turkey doesn't step back in terms of its aggression, then that may have to be the case. I also pointed out that on the agenda, there's also a climate that's going to be very important to see what the council does there on that.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, But what will be even more important will be the negotiations between the current presidency and the parliament, because they are core legislators. They are the European Council, of course, is very important and will set out its political stance. But the way that things work in the European Union means that the legislators have their role and that can't be undermined.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, So I think that on the climate law, what we will see will be based on the will of the core legislators here. And we hope in conjunction with the current presidency that we can set out a schedule for work and that we can have the kind of dialogue which will allow the parliament's ambitions to be met.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, On Brexit, we once again stressed that an agreement is better than no agreement, but we understand that there's not much time on that. There are some significant difficulties, a number of very important issues that remain to be resolved.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, We're waiting for the end of the week to see if they're going to be any novelty's there or anything new, if there is, then there's an agreement on the part of the parliament to vote on this, to evaluate it and vote on it before Christmas, if there isn't one. We hope there will be, but if there isn't one, then perhaps even next week.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, Emergency measures could be proposed and the parliament could vote on those because it would be important to have some kind of basis to regulate the relations of the two site. I think that over the months, the parliament has shown itself to be a responsible institution and it's worked to keep to the timelines, and that's thanks to the work being done by the political groups, the committees and the working groups as well.

SOUNDBITE (Original), David SASSOLI, EP President, And I think that that is something that Mrs Merkel, the German chancellor, has also pointed out. She also pointed out that in her opening remarks, the council and she wanted to express her appreciation of the parliament. And that's something which I was very happy to see. Thank you