Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

News - 07/07/2010 By antoine.simon2

This morning, Prime Minister Yves Leterme, accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Steven Vanackere, and the Secretary of State for European Affairs, Olivier Chastel, presented the programme of the Belgian presidency in a plenary session of the European Parliament, in the presence of the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso.

The Prime Minister reminded those present how important it was to be able to count on the support of European parliamentary members for the priorities of our presidency to be achieved. Yves Leterme expressed his delight that the Treaty of Lisbon had strengthened the competencies of the European Parliament, making it more than ever a "driver for European integration."

During his presentation, Yves Leterme highlighted the urgent need to "re-connect with ambition, and get Europe on the go. This is all the more necessary since the rest of the world is not waiting for us."

The Belgian Presidency will therefore do all it can, in close cooperation with the European Parliament, to rise to the challenges currently facing Europe: equipping the Union with a new financial regulation structure, strengthening its economic governance, stimulating its return to sustainable growth, consolidating its social model, building on its capacity for innovation and developing its diplomatic service.

For more information:

Dominique Dehaene - Dutch-speaking spokesperson
T. : 02 501 02 06 – 0495 24 43 64
dominique.dehaene@premier.fed.be

Jérôme Hardy – French-speaking spokesperson
T. : 02 501 02 36 - 0497 54 02 51
jerome.hardy@premier.fed.be

(Original) Speech by Yves Leterme, Prime Minister of Belgium, European Parliament, Wednesday, July 7th 2010

(EN) Speech by Yves Leterme, Prime Minister of Belgium, European Parliament, Wednesday, July 7th 2010