Roberta METSOLA, EP President, participates in a reception hosted by His Majesty King Philippe of the Belgians for the 70th Anniversary of the European Parliament. The Bureau of the EP and the Chairs of the Committees are also invited. Extracts from the reception and from the speeches by King Philippe and Roberta Metsola.

Brussels

speech

LANGE, Bernd (S&D, DE)

McALLISTER, David (EPP, DE)

VAN BREMPT, Kathleen (S&D, BE)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

REGNER, Evelyn (S&D, AT)

EU - Belgium (T)

PHILIPPE OF BELGIUM (BE, King)

reception

DUCH GUILLOT, Jaume (ES)

DE CROO, Alexander (BE)

BARLEY, Katarina (S&D, DE)

BORRELL FONTELLES, Josep (PSE, ES, EC)

BIEDROŃ, Robert (S&D, PL)

TOBÉ, Tomas (EPP, SE)

KARLESKIND, Pierre (Renew, FR)

CAVAZZINI, Anna (Greens/EFA, DE)

LOISEAU, Nathalie (Renew, FR)

ANGEL, Marc (S&D, LU)

CHIOCCHETTI, Alessandro

70th anniversary of the European Parliament (T)

Reception hosted by His Majesty the King of the Belgians on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the European Parliament: arrivals and extracts from the address by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Exterior shots of the Palace of Laeken (7 shots)

Atmosphere shots of the reception with Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Chairs of the EP Committees, Josep BORRELL , High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Alexander DE CROO, Belgian Prime Minister (14 shots)

Arrival of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde

SOUNDBITE (English), PHILIPPE OF BELGIUM, King of the Belgians, <p>Your hemicycle is a European stage in which minorities and in Europe we are all minorities, come together to debate and persuade each other. The European Parliament has also shown itself a staunch supporter of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Rada. Your voice, your debates and indeed your parliamentary diplomacy carries this far beyond the mid-cycle.</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), PHILIPPE OF BELGIUM, King of the Belgians, - Your hemicycle is a European stage in which minorities and in Europe we are all minorities, come together to debate and persuade each other. The European Parliament has also shown itself a staunch supporter of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Rada. Your voice, your debates and indeed your parliamentary diplomacy carries this far beyond the mid-cycle.

SOUNDBITE (English), PHILIPPE OF BELGIUM, King of the Belgians, - Finally, in less than a year, European elections will take place. More than ever, national teams will be European teams and vice versa. From resilience to jobs, competitiveness and tackling the digital and green transitions. I wish you good fortune in what announces itself as seminal elections. Happy anniversary.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, <p>It is a privilege for us to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the European Parliament together with you shortly before you officially mark the first ten years of your reign in 70 years. The European Parliament has grown from strength to strength, as has our commitment to the city of Brussels and to Belgium. Belgium has become home to thousands of Europeans who have raised families here and who are as proud of this country as anyone born here.</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, - I am proud that the European Parliament is the only directly elected, multi-lingual, multiparty transnational parliament in the world has championed freedom and democracy for the last seven decades.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, - At the turn of the year it will be Belgium that will once again be called upon to lead the Council of the European Union. You have been instrumental in developing our Union by always protecting European ideals and European values by being the first Europeans for all that you have done and for all that you will do. I thank you and I look forward to working with the Belgian presidency for all Europeans. Thank you very much.