In the name of the EPP Group and in a personal capacity, Joseph Daul congratulated Martin Schulz on his election as President of the European Parliament.

Speaking immediately after the election in plenary, Joseph Daul reminded Martin Schulz that his efforts would follow in the tradition of his predecessors, from Simone Veil to Jerzy Buzek, to whom he paid tribute.

The Chairman of the EPP Group underlined that, although his Group does not share the partisan political convictions of the new President, this did not prevent it from placing its confidence in him, "because, in this difficult situation that Europe is going through, what brings us together is more important than what divides us."

"You must, in our eyes, have 3 priorities: defending the Community method, advocating the Community method and safeguarding the Community method", said Joseph Daul, for whom "nothing is more important than to come out on top of the crisis by means of reinforced European integration."

"Nothing is more important than showing our citizens that the Euro is a strong and sustainable currency, as long as we do what we should have done at its creation, i.e. political and economic governance."

Addressing President Schulz, Joseph Daul added: "For two and a half years you are at the head of an assembly that seeks, not to impose on, but convince the Council that it is not in creating a Treaty version 1a, a Parliament version 1a, a governance version 1a, that we will overcome our current difficulties."

"President, we will stand behind you every time you defend this integrated Europe, this Europe of solidarity, a Europe that proposes innovative solutions.

We will support you every time you advocate common European policies, every time you fight for financing that matches the ambitions of the common policies."

Finally, the Chairman of the EPP Group encouraged President Schulz to follow in the path of his predecessor to further improve transparency in the European Parliament following the recently-adopted Code of Conduct.

Joseph Daul's speech in plenary

For further information:

Joseph DAUL MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group, Tel: +33-3-881 75525

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 271 Members.