(The sitting was suspended at 9.50 and resumed at 10.00.)

IN THE CHAIR: Hans-Gert PÖTTERING
President

6. Outcome of the European Council on 11-12 December 2008 - French Presidency's term of office (debate)

Verbatim reports

European Council report and Commission statement: Outcome of the European Council on 11-12 December 2008

Statement by the Presidency-in-Office of the Council: French Presidency's term of office

Nicolas Sarkozy (President-in-Office of the Council), introduced the report. by the European Council on the outcome of the European Council of 11 and 12 December and, in his capacity as President-in-Office of the Council, made a statement on the French Presidency's term of office.

The President made a brief statement in which he welcomed France's new Minister of State responsible for European Affairs, Bruno Le Maire, and paid tribute to the work done by his predecessor, Jean Pierre Jouyet. He also paid tribute to the work done by Klaus Hänsch, President of the European Parliament from 1994 to 1997, on the occasion of his birthday.

José Manuel Barroso (President of the Commission), made a statement on the outcome of the European Council.

The following spoke: Joseph Daul, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group, Martin Schulz, on behalf of the PSE Group, Graham Watson, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Cristiana Muscardini, on behalf of the UEN Group, Francis Wurtz, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Nigel Farage, on behalf of the IND/DEM Group, Bruno Gollnisch, Non-attached Member, Martin Schulz, who made a personal statement in response to remarks made by Nigel Farage, Nicolas Sarkozy, José Manuel Barroso, Timothy Kirkhope, Bernard Poignant, Marielle De Sarnez, Ian Hudghton, Brian Crowley, Bairbre de Brún, Bernard Wojciechowski, Sylwester Chruszcz, Hartmut Nassauer, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and Nicolas Sarkozy.

IN THE CHAIR: Alejo VIDAL-QUADRAS
Vice-President

The following spoke: Silvana Koch-Mehrin, Adam Bielan, Kathy Sinnott, Peter Baco, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, Hannes Swoboda, Jean-Marie Cavada, Mogens Camre, Margie Sudre, Robert Goebbels, Andrew Duff, Guntars Krasts, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Pervenche Berès, Marian Harkin, Jana Hybášková, Libor Rouček, Werner Langen, Enrique Barón Crespo, Colm Burke, Richard Corbett, Mario Mauro, Proinsias De Rossa, Simon Busuttil, Jo Leinen, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil, Gary Titley, Elmar Brok, Adrian Severin, Andrzej Jan Szejna and Véronique De Keyser.

The following spoke under the 'catch-the-eye' procedure: Tunne Kelam, Avril Doyle, Csaba Sándor Tabajdi, Carlo Fatuzzo, Mairead McGuinness and Gábor Harangozó.

The following spoke: Bruno Le Maire (President-in-Office of the Council) and Margot Wallström (Vice-President of the Commission).

The debate closed.