In his first week as European Parliament President Martin Schulz met leaders of the other EU's Institutions, when the fiscal pact was one of the key items under discussion. He met European Council President Herman Van Rompuy Wednesday and Commission President José Manuel Barroso Tuesday.
Van Rompuy and Schulz touched on many issues, including the controversial fiscal compact treaty and the EP's involvement. The current draft had been criticised by many MEPs, because it doesn't allow for democratic oversight and control through the EP.
On Tuesday Schulz applauded the Commission's engagement on the new intergovernmental agreement and spoke of "maximum convergence between the EP and the Commission". He also said that his first official visit as acting EP President was a "signal that the two Community EU institutions must work as close together as possible", because both were sharing a "common conviction for Europe". Representing all member states fairly in the EU, Schulz added, would be "the key to our success".
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