Statements by José Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, following MEPs' statements and closing statements by EP political group leaders on State of the Union 2013, during the EP plenary session in Strasbourg. Statements by José Manuel BARROSO, EC President, Nigel FARAGE, (EFD, UK), Rebecca HARMS ( Greens/EFA, DE), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Hannes SWOBODA (S&D, AT) and Joseph DAUL (EPP, FR).

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

FARAGE, Nigel (NI, UK)

BARROSO, Jose Manuel (PT, EC President)

HARMS, Rebecca (Greens/EFA, DE)

DAUL, Joseph (EPP, FR)

state of the Union 2013 (T)

SWOBODA, Hannes (S&D, AT)

State of the Union 2013: extracts from remarks by José Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, following MEPs' statements and closing statements by EP political group leaders

Exterior view of the European Parliament, Strasbourg

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Jos&#233; Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, "I call for the greatest possible solidarity from the whole of the EU. and that value solidarity with its corresponding responsibility is what we need in a Union which is worthy of that name."

SOUNDBITE (English), Jos&#233; Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, "What is going to be your story to the electors.? Are you going to say like the populists or the extremists that everything is wrong in Europe? I think that if you go that way you will only reinforce those who do not believe as we believe in the European values."

SOUNDBITE (English), Jos&#233; Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, " To pretend as you pretend that against all scientists , that the problem of climate change is just an invention of the Greens or of the Left is completely non sense, of course we have to find a sensible way to fight climate change but we have to fight at the same time for competitiveness in Europe."

SOUNDBITE (English), Jos&#233; Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, "One of you said Greece is the victim of the policies of Europe, false! Completely! Greece is the victim of the irresponsible behaviour of the governments of Greece. This is the reality."

SOUNDBITE (English), Jos&#233; Manuel BARROSO, President of the EC, "Without the EU the countries that are now in a difficult situation would be in much worse situation without Europe they would be suffering much more and so this is important to put the record straight; because of not our electors, your electors will think that Europe is to blame when in fact Europe even if it is not perfect, Europe has not created the problem, Europe is a victim of the problem and Europe is certainly part of the solution , I thank you for your attention."

SOUNDBITE (English), Nigel FARAGE (EFDD, UK), "It is democratic Nation states in Europe that are stable that will not go to war with each other and I remind people that without the vote in House of Commons two weeks ago we would now be at war with Syria. What better proof can that be that Nation state democracy can be a force for good."

SOUNDBITE (English), Rebecca HARMS (Greens/EFA, DE), "When people try to create a beautiful landscape and try to somehow win people over, I think that this indeed is a sign of the insecurity that exists because of the financial crisis that we have, that poor distribution and because of this lack of justice we have that insecurity with regard with what is going to happen in the future so I think this is something we should take seriously and not try to beautify."

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), "What we have to defend is a pro European line but a pro European line that is another Europe than today, a more integrated Europe than we have today. that is a message that I am sure can be very popular. If we want it because who can believe Mr Callahan who is telling to everybody along with Mr Farage that we shall beat the Chinese, and that we shall beat the Indians and that we shall beat economically the Americans by retreating g behind our national borders?"

SOUNDBITE (English), Hannes SWOBODA (S&amp;D, AT), "There is a mayor in the South of Spain who makes now lottery in the swimming pool of the city to get as a prize transitional temporary job. This is not what we want, people have the right to have a job. We want a policy for jobs, we don't want lotteries to get temporary jobs. We want a European employment policy to get permanent jobs , sustainable jobs that is what we are fighting for, I hope we have you on our side. (applause from the Chamber)."

SOUNDBITE (French), Joseph DAUL (EPP, FR), "We have to tell the truth to our citizens , that's true dear friends, I am in favour of a social fiscal policy and I fought tooth and mouth to have a proper agricultural policy and now we have the same policies in Europe. If we had done the same thing in terms of social and fiscal policies now we would not be in a situation we are in today that is what to have to tell our electorate and that is what we have to defend to save Europe, (applause form the Chamber)"