The political leaders of the European Parliament backed the priorities of the Polish presidency in the second half of 2011 at the Conference of Presidents they convened on Friday in Warsaw, EP president Jerzy Buzek said.

"The next six months are crucial for the European Union. The Union has the new Lisbon Treaty in place, and now is the time for the Union to step up its pace. Poland must give an impulse for this change," Buzek said after a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

"Under the Lisbon treaty, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union are de facto the two chambers of the Union's parliament. We co-decide on 90 percent of European law. We are destined to cooperate. So our cooperation is key for successful future," Buzek said.

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Note to editors:

The Polish EU presidency priorities can be found at the following link:

http://prezydencjaue.gov.pl/en/

TV footage of the meeting will be available for download at the following link after its broadcast on Europe by Satellite at 17.30 CET:

http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/ebs/schedule.cfm

 

• Robert A. Golański

  Spokesman

  Mobile: +32 475 751 663