Extracts from the debate on the report by Íñigo MENDEZ de VIGO (PPE-DE, SP) and Richard CORBETT (PSE, UK) followed by the Council and Commission statements and the MEPs debate.

debate

plenary session

CORBETT, Richard (S&D, UK)

Lisbon Treaty (T)

SCHULZ, Martin (S&D, DE)

DAUL, Joseph (EPP, FR)

WALLSTRÖM, Margot (SE)

CROWLEY, Brian (ECR, IE)

GEREMEK, Bronisław (ALDE, PL)

MÉNDEZ DE VIGO, Íñigo (EPP, ES)

LENARČIČ, Janez (SI, EC)

McDONALD, Mary Lou (GUE/NGL, IE)

The Lisbon Treaty : extracts from the report by Inigo MENDEZ de VIGO and Richard CORBETT - Council and Commission statements and MEPs debate

SOUNDBITE (Original) Richard CORBETT (PSE, GB), in English, This Union will have a system where by any legislation in the future will be subject to the prior scrutiny of the national parliaments and then the double approval of the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament, directly elected by the European citizens&hellip; That is a level of scrutiny that exists in no other international structure (&hellip;) nothing above the level of a nation states has such a degree of Parliamentary scrutiny that we will have with this new Treaty.

SOUNDBITE (Original) &Iacute;&ntilde;igo M&Eacute;NDEZ DE VIGO (EPP-ED, ES), in Spanish, In this Treaty we have the right instruments to improve the present situation; supporting the Lisbon Treaty means doing things together, it means following the same path&hellip; it is true that we have abandoned some things (he quotes Paul Val&eacute;ry: "nothing is ever ended, we can only abandon it') but we will be able to recover them in the future and the European Parliament will be leading the way.

SOUNDBITE (Original) Janez LENARČIČ, Slovenian Presidency on behalf of the Council, Everyone who has been involved in this long process need to assume their responsibilities and we believe that the spirit of cooperation will continue as it has been the case; that will contribute to successful ratification and the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.

SOUNDBITE (Original) Margot WALLSTR&Ouml;M, Commission Vice-president, in English: I am willing to do all I can to ensure that Europeans can use this democratic tool as soon as possible after the Treaty enters into force; it requires the Commission proposal to be ready on time, and at the same time it is important to consult fully before adopting a proposal, of course we will keep you informed of further developments and look forward to working together&hellip;

SOUNDBITE (Original) Joseph DAUL (EPP, FR) From our group we call upon Member States to follow Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, France and Malta and ratify this Treaty so it can enter into force in 2009

SOUNDBITE (Original) Martin SCHULZ (PSE, DE), Nationalism is never a solution for the future, never. What we need is Union amongst our peoples, that is the future and that is the solution provided by this Treaty

SOUNDBITE (Original) Bronisław GEREMEK (ALDE, PL), The Treaty sets out a perspective for the future of the Union with a proper political dimension, a political union, one which will be capable of putting in place policies of solidarity

SOUNDBITE (Original) Brian CROWLEY (UEN, IE), Obviously any organisation that started off with six member states does require that rules changes as it advances and as it growths, that is why I believe the Irish people in the upcoming referendum on this Treaty will vote in favour

SOUNDBITE (Original), Mary Lou MCDONALD (GUE/NGL, IE), How can any of us here who believe in democracy, peace or public services support the Lisbon Treaty; this Treaty is not about reform or efficiency, it's a 'carte-blanche' for further erosion of democracy and its self-amending clauses alone are evidence of this.