Press Release

25/11/2009

European Appointments: the Council must evolve. Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group

During the first debate in the European Parliament on the appointment of Herman Van Rompuy and Baroness Catherine Ashton, the Chairman of the EPP Group, Joseph Daul MEP, said: "The Council of Ministers must evolve."

"I expect the Council to progress towards more transparency and to work more in tandem with the Parliament and the Commission. I expect Ministers to stop declaring national victories over their EU partners as soon as they're back from Brussels, and to stop blaming Europe for all evils. Finally, I expect the Council not to change its position depending on who is presiding over it," said the Chairman of the EPP Group.

"With the EPP Group, this is what I expect from the first permanent Presidency of the Council", said Joseph Daul, who assured President Van Rompuy of "the total trust of the EPP Group", and his encouragement for a job which will obviously be very difficult.

The Chairman of the most influential parliamentary group in the European Parliament deplored the facile criticisms of the nominations of Mr Van Rompuy and Baroness Ashton. "I refer particularly to those who, for the sake of having something to say, discredited themselves with irresponsible statements".

Daul welcomed the first statements from President Van Rompuy, for whom "the Council's image will be based on results" and who advocates a "step-by-step" approach. "This is the method that the EPP Group can identify with, the one I would call the 'Jean Monnet method'. A way without dramatic gestures, but effective."

Finally, Daul emphasised that the Members of the EPP Group "also have dreams. But the difference with others, our difference, is that we work to make those dreams reality. We did this with the construction of Europe. We did it with the reunification of Europe. We have done it also with the Lisbon Treaty which, despite its imperfections, will take us further in the right direction. This is what Europeans expect, not just sensational and unrealistic declarations."

(Translation from the original French)

For further information:
Joseph Daul MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, Tel: +33-3-88175525
Antoine Ripoll, Chairman's Spokesman, Tel: +32-475-856290

Notes to Editors:
The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 265 Members.