Handover ceremony of the Presidency of the European Council - 29 November 2019 https://www.eudebates.tv/tag/council-of-the-european-union/ Speeches by President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Council Charles Michel. Speech by European Council President Donald Tusk at the handover ceremony with the incoming President Charles Michel When my and also your, dear Charles, predecessor, Herman Van Rompuy handed over to me the chairmanship of the Council five years ago, I didn't even suspect that the scenario of my term would be written by Alfred Hitchcock himself. You may remember his short recipe for a good thriller. He said: 'I want a film that begins with an earthquake and works up to a climax.' From the early months of 2015 Europe has been struggling with crises: Greek, migration, Ukrainian, ISIS and its terrorist attacks inside our borders, and a moment later came Brexit. Some observers included in these crises the rule of two Donalds, in Washington and Brussels, but personally I think that this opinion is only half-true. As you may have noticed, the question of leading the Council is an internal Belgian-Polish matter. I don't see a reason to change it. Our common brand and objective is and should be the unity of the European Union. And I think that the specific Polish and Belgian experience can be very helpful. I am sure that you, dear Charles, will use all your talents and virtues to maintain our unity. I am very proud that for the last five years I have had the privilege to serve Europe. Not to serve an abstract idea, but people, nations and their common interests. Europe is the best place on Earth, at least as long as it remains a continent of freedom and rule of law, which is inhabited by a community aware of its history and culture. Today I am leaving the European Council, but what is the best part of it is staying with you, dear Charles. It is them. The Union and its Council have survived thanks to their work, mutual loyalty and professionalism. You are really unique. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Without you, I wouldn't have survived even for a week. Thank you very much. I give this holy sceptre into your hands, President. - Speech by incoming European Council President Charles Michel at the handover ceremony with the outgoing President Donald Tusk Thank you very much for this summit bell, Donald. I will use it wisely, and loudly if necessary! Donald, you have had a long and impressive career. And it's not finished. From your time as a young activist in the Solidarity movement to Prime Minister of Poland to European Council President. You have always lived your convictions taken the hard decisions and shown strong leadership. This is especially true of your time at the Council. You faced a lot of challenges, I won't list them all, I was asked to be brief For 5 years, you did not lose sight of the target protecting our unity. I would like to thank you, on behalf of all Europeans, for being a true fighter for Europe. Your passion for Europe has been a driving force. And your fitness skills are impressive too. I remember seeing you on the podium of the Brussels 20K race: you launched it and then started running, congratulations. I imagine leading the Council sometimes feels like a long race too, we always need to stay focused on the finish line. As Council President, I will use all my energy to reduce bureaucracy let's work together on this. By the way, let me congratulate you on your new Presidency. Good luck at the EPP. I'm sure it will be an easier job, without any bureaucracy. It will be a privilege to serve the European citizens. I will take a common-sense approach to problem-solving with innovation and efficiency. I will have my own style. Open for dialogue and committed to building bridges and perhaps more cautious with my tweets, at least at the beginning. But I will certainly speak out when needed. For the past month, I have been traveling across Europe speaking to people. This has been truly inspiring. I heard so many positive ideas about how we can work together and create an unbreakable unity. My overwhelming impression is energy and optimism about Europe's future. Today our Union should be proud of how far we have come. Two World Wars, a Cold War, the Berlin Wall, dictatorships destroyed lives. All of that is behind us. Today we live in peace. But we must remain vigilant, very vigilant. I want to do everything to promote respect and mutual understanding between the European leaders and our countries. I have seen the first-class team working at the Council. Your talents will be extremely important for our success. I am impatient to work with all of you. I want Europe to become global leader of the Green Economy with jobs, innovation and a high quality of life. We have to find a way forward that works for all Member States. And their people. ... #eudebates

• published: 29 Nov 2019
• views: 301