During the plenary session (12-15/11/18) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs and Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, debate on the future of Europe with Angela MERKEL, German Chancellor. She is the twelfth of EU heads of state or governments to debate on future of Europe with MEPs. Statements by Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Udo BULLMANN (S&D, DE), Guy VERHOFSTADT, Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE) and Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE)

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

future of the European Union (T)

KELLER, Ska (Greens/EFA, DE)

BULLMANN, Udo (S&D, DE)

EU - Germany (T)

MERKEL, Angela (DE)

ZIMMER, Gabriele (GUE/NGL, DE)

Future of Europe: extracts from the MEPs debate with Angela MERKEL, German Chancellor

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), In Europe we need to have a new community method to assume responsibility. If you take a look at the Council of ministers we know the ministers that always vote in favour, a very high rate, 90%. But when they get back home they start protesting and we have to stop this game.

SOUNDBITE (German), Udo BULLMANN (S&amp;D, DE), The community method needs to be strong. Only when the European Parliament has a true voice, will we be successful in the future. And then secondly, we have a coalition agreement in Berlin because we want Europe to be strong and we need to ensure that this is implemented for the European Monetary fund. Also Germany needs to make progress on climate protection and in social policy. For instance in the framework for decent working commissions, we need to make sure that it is not blocked by the EPP but that we can make Europe's position on precarious work very clear.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, Two weeks ago, Chancellor you had announced that after this mandate, you will quit politics. But let me encourage you to use the period and the coming month and the coming years. And why? Well to put Germany back on track I think towards this Union and I think your intervention of today is certainly a step in that direction. We need a leap forward again with Europe. We need a relaunch of the project. So that we can face the challenges of the World of tomorrow. And it will be a world in which in a certain way, we will be on our own.

SOUNDBITE (German), Ska KELLER (Greens/EFA, DE), Climate isn't going to be saved by vague pictures of glaciers and statements. We need ambitious goals for Europe and we need them to be implemented rapidly. And that's why the German government has to stop hitting the brakes on climate policy. This is a real catastrophe for Europe, for the coasts, for our island states and for our whole planet. And Germany is certainly not the only country in the EU that is having a problem facing up to the reality of the climate.

SOUNDBITE (German), Gabriele ZIMMER (GUE/NGL, DE), I call on you to overcome the deadlock in the Council. All the things that have been said about that are very important. And can I also point out that we expect that the federal government, when it comes to country by country reporting, should play a different role in the question of stopping tax evasion, tax fraud and stopping big multinationals evading tax all together, so that we can use that money for things that are more important.