The political groups gave their views before the vote.
The following spoke: Elmar Brok, on behalf of the PPE Group, Roberto Gualtieri, on behalf of the S&D Group, Guy Verhofstadt, on behalf of the ALDE Group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Martin Callanan, on behalf of the ECR Group, Søren Bo Søndergaard, on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group, Nigel Farage, on behalf of the EFD Group, and Andreas Mölzer, Non-attached Member.
The following spoke: José Manuel Barroso (President of the Commission).