In the European Parliament in Brussels, Antonio TAJANI, EP President, and Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE,BE), EP Brexit coordinator, meet with Theresa MAY, British Prime Minister. Arrival, handshake and extracts from the press point by Antonio TAJANI, EP President and Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE,BE), EP Brexit coordinator

Brussels

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Brexit (T)

article 50 of the Lisbon treaty (T)

press point

meeting

MAY, Theresa (UK)

Antonio TAJANI, EP President, and Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE,BE), EP Brexit coordinator, receive Theresa MAY, British Prime Minister: arrival, handshake and extracts from the press point by Antonio TAJANI, EP President and Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE,BE)

European Parliament President Antonio Tajani walks to welcome the British Prime Minister Theresa May to the European Parliament. 

British Prime Minister Theresa May arrives and shakes hands with EP President Antonio Tajani

EP President Antonio Tajani and British Prime Minister Theresa May walk on the blue carpet of the Parliament, getting ready to take a family photograph together.

Family Photograph and handshake between EP President Antonio Tajani and British Prime Minister Theresa May

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, We are very concerned. We are weeks from an economic and human catastrophe. This is the reality of a no deal Brexit. It should be a very dangerous solution in a no deal Brexit. The Parliament fully supports the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Michel Barnier. It is the only solution that grants an orderly UK exit. It is the only solution that protects peace in Ireland and integrity of the internal market. I welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to the Good Friday Agreement. It is for the mental message to the EU. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, On the future, also we want to have a good cooperation with the United Kingdom on the most important issues, defense policy, terrorism, immigration, trade policy. And we are also in favour of a strong cooperation between the European Parliament and the British Parliament. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, EP coordinator for the negotiations with the UK (MEP), For us an all weather backstop insurance is absolutely key. And if there are problems with this backstop as it is now foreseen, the individual agreement or proposal is to try to solve the problem in the political declaration. Because we are open with the Parliament from day one, to upgrade this political declaration and make it more binding, more precise also on the issue of backstop, explaining and saying clearly that this is an insurance and not more than that.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, EP coordinator for the negotiations with the UK (MEP), We welcome also the letter that Jeremy Corbyn has written today to Mrs. May, to offer such a cross party exit I should say to Brexit. And it is important now that this leads to a position now in the UK, that has the broadest possible majority, so that we can conclude this negotiation. 