Special meeting European Council on migratory pressures in the Mediterranean. Arrival of Martin SCHULZ, EP President, extracts from the press conference and statement

Brussels

statement

meeting

migration and refugees in Europe (T)

press conference

death of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea (T)

SCHULZ, Martin (S&D, DE)

Special meeting European Council on migratory pressures in the Mediterranean : Arrival of Martin SCHULZ, EP President, extracts from the press conference and statement

Exterior view of the European Council Justus Lipsius building in Brussels

EP President Martin Schulz entering the Council meeting room (2 shots)

Handshake with Donald Tusk, EU Council President

Standing up for a moment of silence on the memory of the victims

EP President Martin Schulz speaking with EU Heads of states and government (5 shots)

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, If we just look at the figures for Lebanon, and transpose at France, that will actually mean 12 million refugees in France alone.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHULZ, As far as the EP is concerned we don&rsquo;t agree with this general criticism that Europe is doing nothing. For decade now the EP has been talking about these things in countless resolutions, and they predicted all what&rsquo;s happening now. The Commission itself come forward with a number of proposals. Decisions are supposed to be taken geographically in Brussels, but the decisions are actually taken in Berlin, Rome, London or Madrid, Warsaw, Lisbon, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Wien. It's the EU national capitals that decide these things.

SOUNDBITE (German), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, "What is really ant is that the EU heads of States and government take this problem on board to make it theirs. Then we can come back in May with more details and then the Council can do it's duty. But if we have the impression today that we get a purely declaratory approach and that in May the whole thing is erodes, I'm sure that in the EP there is going to be a very, very lively response."

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President , "We must clarify among the 28 Member States that a European challenge need European answers and not national answers. If we are divided, then we will never come to meaningful conclusion. 90% of the refugees coming to the EU are going to 9 countries, but the EU has 28 Member States. So I hope that those who are reluctant will take over their responsibilities. There cannot be only some of the countries resolving the problem."

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, "I&rsquo;ve seen in the draft conclusion they speak about to double the money for the Triton mission. But this is not sufficient. I think that if you look only at Italy with 9 million a months for the operation Mare Nostro they&rsquo;ve spend, this is at least the minimum that the EU as a whole has to spend . To double the money for Triton operation is a third less than the Italians give for Mare Nostrum. So I think that they should consider to increase the money for the rescue operations."

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, "If you look to the figures we have for the banking system, for saving banks, we are not speaking about billions, we are speaking about 9; 10; 50 millions euros. A friend told me yesterday that they counted that they compared the money for the Mare Nostrum costs, with the money that in one night were mobilised to save a German real estate bank, we could finance 187 years (of Mare Nostrum operation) . So I think we do not have to discuss about the crises, the money is available."