Cold spell in Europe: solidarity must prevail.

Speaking during the debate on the situation of the homeless in Europe during the current spell of cold weather, the Chairman of the EPP Group, Joseph Daul MEP, stated: "This is the best opportunity to recall that Europe is not only an economic and financial matter: it is first and foremost one of solidarity. The cold wave affecting our populations gives us an opportunity to demonstrate this."

Joseph Daul has deplored the lack of foresight of European projects on the disadvantaged social categories: "The food stocks made available by the European programmes of food aid are at the lowest. Some countries of the Union have taken these programmes hostage - they renewed them only to 2013, claiming a problem of legal basis."

The Chairman of the largest and most influential Group in the European Parliament considers that the same logistic trouble cannot be repeated every time Europe faces natural disasters: "It is time to react by strengthening our networks of solidarity. We must extend the European food aid programme. We must give a helping hand to a common energy policy, or finally establish a European civil protection force that is so badly needed."