Following her participation at the European Council meeting, Roberta METSOLA, EP President, answers the question of the press.

Brussels

press conference

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

president's agenda

European Council meeting 27-28 June 2024 (T)

Press conference by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, on Special European Council: Questions and answers

Q&amp;A Question on a possible agreement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I hope. An agreement today will give us the possibility to vote in July in Strasbourg. I have to remind that we have only one session in Strasbourg in July. We will have the possibility to vote on 18 July if we find an agreement today.

Q&A Question on the changes on the rules of procedures, and question on the endorsement of the ECR on Roberta Metsola as President of the Commission.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I'll start with the second question. The ECR is not yet composed. And therefore we will need to see, the groups as they slowly start, to be put together. And I say this because we still have time, the groups have given more or less each other until the 4th of July for this, to be able to be set with, after which those groups will start to negotiate on positions or not. So that's the next steps that will need to be taken with all the rules that accompany those, building of the groups.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'On the reform, so this was something that had been long overdue and I'm particularly proud of the fact that, we led on the reform, that I was wondering whether we would manage, to find the right majorities we set up. And first of all, an administrative task force led by the Secretary-General and also a political task force which had a representative or two from each political group, leading to proposed amendments to the rules of procedure that were voted on in April.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'Now, my answer, as I've already given it  orally. But I will follow up in writing is that, first of all, the Parliament is certainly able and independent enough to reform itself. secondly, the aim precisely of this reform is rather than increase the imbalance, but rather correct the imbalance that there currently is between the co-legislators.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'And this is also taking into account the ongoing process that has already been starting of the renegotiation of the framework agreement between the Parliament and the Commission, also long overdue, in order to allow for the Parliament -and this got huge majority, across the European Parliament - to conduct the rights that every parliament has of scrutiny.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And that means that there will be a very effective commissioner hearing process, where commissioners who are coming to the European Parliament as they are designated, by the commission president designate and their governments, will commit to working with the legislature, we have had very good experiences in the past, but we've had less good experiences in the past. And this reform is aimed at streamlining and smoothening the process rather than depending on the individual.

Q&A Question on the presence of the Hungarian Prime Minister in Strasbourg in July, to present the government's program.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The agenda of the July session will be set on the 11th of July. Why 11th of July? Because we need to wait to see what happens today. So if this was a normal election year, we would have two Strasbourg sessions. One where there would be the election of the Parliament president, election of vice presidents and questions and presentation of political priorities of the incoming or actual presidency.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, And then another Strasbourg session a couple of weeks later, where the election of the president of the European Commission would be done. We are now not in that situation. So we are in a situation where because the election was in June, we only have one Strasbourg session.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, So we are looking at a session that is solely committed. If a decision is taken today to having the constitutive decisions, in other words, the election. So I cannot confirm yet that the agenda will be set on the 11th of July. But that's how it's looking until today.

Q&A Question on what will happen in five years, in the next elections in Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Well, I mentioned in my earlier comments that we need to focus also on implementation. And I said this because if there's one thing that resonated across each Member State, and as candidates come back elected or even prime ministers and heads of state are saying today is that the European Union needs to deliver either on the legislative decisions that it takes by implementing them, needs to look at the impact of decisions that are taken, needs to look at the financial costs and needs to look at the societal and economic costs. And I say this because, this campaign also showed, in spite of the fact that the turnout increased slightly over the last five years, but that the message of us, your vote resonated.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Now the responsibility is on us. And if we don't deliver, then those who would like to destroy Europe will only grow. And I don't think we can afford to find ourselves here in 2029 running for an election. And this is something we learned this time in the campaign that we ran, but also in the way the discussion evolved in different Member States is that the same game or the status quo can be.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, So I think that is a message I take myself. I was a candidate, in this election, and it is one where there is in all the groups, and I'm currently conducting talks with members from across the political spectrum is one that resonates, from left to right.

Q&A Question on the support of the European Parliament to Ukraine, and question on the for preparation enlargement.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, 'Thank you.  I'm very optimistic. So my answer to both questions is yes. If we see that the results have returned a picture that shows that the pro-European centre has held that will be tested in the next few weeks. So to be clear, however, I do not fear any backsliding on the commitments made by the ninth European Parliament legislature in the 10th.

Q&A Question on the negociations to ensure a larger majority to the President of the Commission.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The discussions have not finished. I think that all the countries will be involved. We have to ensure the highest majority, to build the majority in the European Parliament. For me it is important not to exclude any countries.

Q&A Question on the forces that may destroy Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We have to wait the result, the two rounds. All colleagues in the European Parliament work for their countries and their objectives.  We will see what the French people will decide this Sunday and in two weeks. We will answer in the next summit.