Voorbereiding EU voorzitterschap Spanje: delegatie Europees Parlement spreekt met president Zapatero en koning Juan Carlos (en)

Ahead of the Spanish presidency of the Council, which begins in January, EP President Jerzy Buzek i and leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament will be in Madrid on Thursday and Friday for meetings with Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero i, other ministers and members of the Spanish Parliament. The delegation will also be received by King Juan Carlos.

President Buzek said: "The Spanish Presidency will be the first that takes place fully under the Lisbon Treaty. The Treaty makes the European Union more democratic, united and effective. It is the tool-box which will help the European Union deal with the concerns of citizens. They expect this from us. The Spanish Presidency will as well set the example of how relations between the European institutions will evolve under the Lisbon Treaty."

Details of the meetings

On Thursday 3 December, the EP Conference of Presidents will join Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero at the Pardo Palace for a meeting with the Spanish Government (from 1600, preceded by a group photograph). 

There will be a press briefing by Mr Buzek and Mr Zapatero at the Moncloa Palace at 1815.

In the evening the MEPs will be received by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at the Royal Palace.  They will also meet Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia.

On Friday 4 December, the MEPs will be welcomed to the Congress of Deputies by its Speaker, José Bono.  They will take part in some of the events of an Open Day at the Congress, including a reading of the Constitution by a group of children.

At 1220, the MEPs will go to the Senate to take part in a meeting of the Joint Commission on EU Affairs, ahead of a meeting with the President of the Senate, Javier Rojo.

Conference of Presidents

The European Parliament Conference of Presidents is made up of the leaders of the political groups and is chaired by the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek.  On this occasion, the participants in the meetings will be: Joseph Daul (FR), EPP group leader, Martin Schulz (DE), S&D group leader, Guy Verhofstadt (BE), ALDE group leader, Raül Romeva I Rueda (ES), deputy leader of the Greens/EFA group, Adam Bielan (PL), deputy leader of the ECR group, Lothar Bisky (DE), leader of the GUE/NGL group and Nigel Farage, co-leader of the EFD group.