Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament (centre), Otmar Karas MEP (EPP-ED, Austria) and Marianne Thyssen MEP (EPP-ED, Belgium), Vice-Chairpersons of the EPP-ED Group (behind left), part of a large gathering of more than 2 500 Europeans observing three minutes silence in remembrance of the victims of the Asian Tsunami disaster

On the initiative of the Presidency of the European Council, Hans-Gert Poettering, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, joined more than 2,500 Europeans to observe three minutes silence in remembrance of the victims of the Asian Tsunami disaster

On the initiative of the Presidency of the European Council, Hans-Gert Poettering, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, joined more than 2,500 Europeans to observe three minutes silence in remembrance of the victims of the Asian Tsunami disaster

Exchange of views of the EPP-ED Group with candidates for the post of European Ombudsman

r-l: Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Giuseppe Fortunato, candidate for European Ombudsman

Exchange of views of the EPP-ED Group with candidates for the post of European Ombudsman

r-l: Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Prof. Nikiforos Diamandouros, candidate for European Ombudsman

Press Conference on the New year's political challenges and expectations

l-r: Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Robert A. Fitzhenry, Head of the EPP-ED Group Press Service

Briefing of the EPP-ED Group

l-r: Jaime Mayor Oreja MEP (Spain), Vice-Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Hans-Gert Poettering MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP-ED Group

Press conference on the outcome of the Palestinian elections

Edward McMillan-Scott MEP (EPP-ED, United Kingdom), EP Vice-president and Chairman of the ad-hoc delegation for observation of the Palestinian elections

Official visit of Dr Helmut Kohl to the EPP-ED Group

l-r: José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission, Dr Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of Germany and Honorary Citizen of Europe, and Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament

Official visit of Dr Helmut Kohl to the EPP-ED Group

l-r: Dr Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of Germany and Honorary Citizen of Europe, and Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament

Official visit of Dr Helmut Kohl to the EPP-ED Group

Official visit of Dr Helmut Kohl to the EPP-ED Group

l-r: José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission, Dr Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of Germany and Honorary Citizen of Europe, Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Jean-Claude Juncker, Prime Minister of Luxembourg and President-in-Office of the European Council

Official visit of Dr Helmut Kohl to the EPP-ED Group

Official visit of Dr Helmut Kohl to the EPP-ED Group

r-l: Dr Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of Germany and Honorary Citizen of Europe, Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Nirj Deva MEP (EPP-ED, United Kingdom), born in Colombo (Sri Lanka)

Official visit of Dr Helmut Kohl to the EPP-ED Group

r-l: Dr Helmut Kohl, former Chancellor of Germany and Honorary Citizen of Europe, with Jerzy Buzek MEP (EPP-ED, Poland), former Prime Minister of Poland, Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Piia-Noora Kauppi MEP (EPP-ED, Finland), Head of the Finnish delegation of the EPP-ED Group

© European Parliament Official visit of Dr Helmut Kohl to the EPP-ED Group

Press conference on the European Parliament's opinion on the Constitution

Íñigo Méndez de Vigo (EPP-ED, Spain)

Press Conference on the written declaration on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp

Boguslaw Sonik (EPP-ED, Poland)

Schuman Medal Awards

Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament (on the right), presents the Schuman Medal to Human Rights activists Sergey Kovalev and Natalya Estemirova

Presentation of the Schuman Medal by Hans-Gert Poettering MEP to Human rights activists Sergey Kovalev and Natalya Estemirova

Presentation of the Schuman Medal by Hans-Gert Poettering MEP to Human rights activists Sergey Kovalev and Natalya Estemirova

Presentation of the Schuman Medal by Hans-Gert Poettering MEP to Human rights activists Sergey Kovalev and Natalya Estemirova

Presentation of the Schuman Medal by Hans-Gert Poettering MEP to Human rights activists Sergey Kovalev and Natalya Estemirova

Press Conference with Schuman Medal laureates

Camiel Eurlings MEP, Head of the Dutch Delegation of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament (2nd left), and Bernd Posselt MEP (EPP-ED, Germany) (right) with Human Rigths activists Sergey Kovalev and Natalya Estemirova

Press Conference with Schuman Medal laureates

l-r: Camiel Eurlings MEP, Head of the Dutch Delegation of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, Bernd Posselt MEP (EPP-ED, Germany), Sergey Kovalev and Natalya Estemirova, Human Rigths activists

Nirj Deva MEP (EPP-ED, United Kingdom) organised a post-tsunami co-ordination meeting bringing together representatives of NGO´s active in the field, the ambassadeurs of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Malaysia and representatives of the European Commission and the European Investment Bank

Nirj Deva MEP (EPP-ED, United Kingdom) organised a post-tsunami co-ordination meeting bringing together representatives of NGO´s active in the field, the ambassadeurs of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Malaysia and representatives of the European Commission and the European Investment Bank

Nirj Deva (EPP-ED, United Kingdom) organised a post-tsunami co-ordination meeting bringing together representatives of NGO´s active in the field, the ambassadeurs of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Malaysia and representatives of the European Commission and the European Investment Bank

l-r: H.E. Mr Mattalitti (Indonesia), H.E. Mr Abdullah (Malaysia) and Mr Amar Sinha (India)

Nirj Deva MEP (EPP-ED, United Kingdom) organised a post-tsunami co-ordination meeting bringing together representatives of NGO´s active in the field, the ambassadeurs of Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Malaysia and representatives of the European Commission and the European Investment Bank

l-r: H.E. Mr Pramudwinai (Thailand) and H.E. Mr Jayasinghe (Sri Lanka)

Joint Hearing of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection on 'The new REACH legislation' (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) Chairman: Karl-Heinz Florenz MEP (EPP-ED, Germany)(in the center) Co-Chairman: Giles Chichester MEP (EPP-ED, United Kingdom) (on the left)

Joint Hearing of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection on 'The new REACH legislation' (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) Chairman: Karl-Heinz Florenz MEP (EPP-ED, Germany)

Joint Hearing of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection on 'The new REACH legislation' (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) Co-Chairman: Giles Chichester MEP (EPP-ED, United Kingdom)

Joint Hearing of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection on ''The new REACH legislation'' (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) Draftsman: Hartmut Nassauer MEP (EPP-ED, Germany)

Joint Hearing of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection on "The new REACH legislation" (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) View of the meeting room

Launch of the UN Development Programme in Tajikistan hosted by the European Parliament under guidance of Armin Laschet MEP (EPP-ED, Germany)(2nd from left at the table), rapporteur on Tajikistan and EU-UN relations

© European Parliament Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED-Group in the European Parliament, welcomes Ahmed Fathi Sorour, President of the Egyptian People's Assembly

Public Hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament on 'Kosovo: five years on'

General conclusions by Doris Pack MEP (EPP-ED, Germany), chairwoman of the EP Delegation for relations with the countries of South East Europe

Public Hearing of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality of the European Parliament on 'Mid-term review of the Lisbon strategy from the gender perspective'

Anna Záborská MEP (EPP-ED, Slovakia), chairwoman of the Committee

Jiarui Wang, Head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, speaking to Members of the EPP-ED Group on a visit to Brussels

The Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, welcomes Chinese Ambassador Chengyuan Guan during the visit of Jiarui Wang, Head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, and his delegation

Official visit of Mirek Topolanek to the EPP-ED Group

l-r: Hans-Gert Poettering MEP, Chairman of the EPP-ED-Group in the European Parliament, Mirek Topolanek, Chairman of the ODS party (Czech Republic), and Vice-Chairpersons of the EPP-ED Group Othmar Karas MEP (Austria) and Marianne Thyssen MEP (Belgium)

Hearing in the European Parliament European support for Florence Aubenas, 'Liberation' correspondent, and her interpreter Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi, and all other victims of abduction

left: The parents of Florence Aubenas right: Serge July, PDG of the newspaper 'Libération'

Hearing in the European Parliament European support for Florence Aubenas, 'Liberation' correspondent, and her interpreter Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi, and all other victims of abduction

Margie Sudre MEP, Head of the French delegation of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament

Hearing in the European Parliament European support for Florence Aubenas, 'Liberation' correspondent, and her interpreter Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi, and all other victims of abduction

from right: former hostages in Iraq Christian Cheson, French correspondent, and Mohammed Al Joundi, his interpreter

Visit to Madrid of Hans-Gert Poettering MEP to give his support to the Partido Popular's (PP) campaign for a 'Yes' vote in the referendum for a European Constitution which will take place on 20 February

Hans-Gert Poettering (Germany), President of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament

Visit to Madrid of Hans-Gert Poettering to give his support to the Partido Popular's (PP) campaign for a 'Yes' vote in the referendum for a European Constitution which will take place on 20 February

l-r: Gerardo Galeote Quecedo MEP (EPP-ED, Spain), Hans-Gert Poettering MEP (Germany), Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, and Jaime Mayor Oreja MEP (Spain), Vice-Chairman of the EPP-ED Group

© European Parliament EPP launches new logo Wilfried Martens, EPP President