ALDE Leaders Meet Ahead of the European Summit: Arrivals and Statements

ALDE leaders meet ahead of the European Summit: arrivals and statements

Reference: I-152505 Duration: 00:03:32 Location: Brussels Date: Mar 22, 2018 Type: EbS PreEdited

Background:

The European Liberals met for their Pre-summit meeting in Palais Egmont, Brussels.

Main topic for the afternoon is trade, and in particular the latest developments with regard to possible steel and aluminium tariffs, as announced by the US. In this session the heads of state or government will also discuss and adopt conclusions on the single market, the European Semester and social issues. The European Council will also adopt conclusions in view of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia on 17 May.

The heads of state or government will discuss taxation over dinner. The debate, based on a Leaders' Agenda note prepared by President Tusk, will focus on digital taxation as well as tax avoidance and evasion. The leaders will also discuss the Salisbury attack and relations with Turkey.

Summary:

Ahead of the European Summit (22-23 March 2018), ALDE leaders meet at the Egmont Palace, in Brussels. Arrival of Juha SIPILÄ, Juri RATAS, Andrej BABIS, Margrethe VESTAGER, Vera JOUROVA, Cecilia MALMSTRÖM and Mark RUTTE. Statements by Hans van BAALEN (ALDE, NL) and Andrej BABIS, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic.

Only the original language version is authentic and it prevails in the event of its differing from the translated versions.

TIME DESCRIPTION DURATION

00:00:00 Title 00:00:05

Exterior view of 'Palais Egmont', venue of the ALDE 00:00:05 pre-summit, Brussels (1 shot) 00:00:05

Interior, ALDE logo, (1 shot), Arrival of Juha SIPILÄ, Prime 00:00:10 00:00:05 Minister of Finland, (1 shot)

SOUNDBITE (English), Hans van BAALEN (ALDE, NL), ALDE Party President/ MEP ,

(on Trade)

It is not to be understood that allies like the EU and United States would be in a Trade war. And for the American workers, all the measure of Trump on steel, cars and anything, will not improve their situation. Only free trade 00:00:15 and free competition will do so, so Trump is doing the worst 00:00:56 for the American workers and for EU-American relations. So I think in the end, he will come back on that position, so Ms Malmström the EU Trade commissioner should be tough and she will be tough. I don’t like that we impose sanctions on the States, but there is no alternative. If the United States want to hurt us we have to hurt back, I don’t like it and I hope that a tough stance can prevent a trade war.

SOUNDBITE (English), Hans VAN BALEN (ALDE , NL), ALDE Party President/ MEP ,

(on the possibility that May request help from European leaders to expel Russian intelligence agents from EU member countries):

00:01:11 What the Russians are doing is to try to hurt the EU, United 00:00:28 States and other free countries, and they need to hurt back and that is the only way to maintain peace and stability, because Putin will go as far he can go. If he doesn’t feel counter power he will go on. So Putin has to be stopped, so those sanctions are good and it is the only way to persuade Putin to get back on a normal road of cooperation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Hans van BAALEN (ALDE, NL), ALDE Party President/ MEP ,

(Turkey - military presence in North Syria) 00:01:39 I think what has been done (by Turkey) is negative, 00:00:29 because it has hurt many innocent people, I hope that Turkey will withdraw and of course it should be said to them, the United States have done so, but with any result now, but if Turkey will be drawn into the conflict in Syria, it is bad for Turkey as well and by bombing the Kurds in this part of Syria, you don’t achieve anything.

00:02:08 Arrival Juri RATAS, Prime Minister of Estonia, (1 shot) 00:00:08

Arrival of Andrej BABIS, Prime Minister of the Czech 00:02:16 00:00:05 Republic, (1 shot)

SOUNDBITE (English), Andrej BABIS, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic ,

(on the possibility that May request help from European leaders to expel Russian intelligence agents from EU 00:02:21 member countries): 00:00:13

So we support our Allies, I just met with the Secretary General of NATO, so we have discussed it and I think there should be a common position.

Arrival of EU Commissioner Margrethe VESTAGER, EU 00:02:34 00:00:05 Commissioner for Competition, (1 shot)

Arrival of MS Vera JOUROVA, European Commissioner for 00:02:39 00:00:05 Justice, consumer and gender equality, (1 shot)

Arrival of Ms Cecilia MALMSTRÖM, European 00:02:44 00:00:05 Commissioner for Trade, (1 shot)

Arrival of Mark RUTTE, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, 00:02:49 00:00:05 (1 shot)

Arrival of Xavier BETTEL, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, (1 00:02:54 00:00:06 shot)

00:03:00 Cutaways (2 shots) 00:00:09

Interior, tour de table of the ALDE Pre-summit meeting, (5 00:03:09 00:00:18 shots)