Guy Verhofstadt, the new ALDE group leader is in Stockholm with other parliamentary group leaders today for discussions with the Swedish Presidency on the priorities for the months ahead.

Verhofstadt took note of the recognition by the Swedish Prime Minister and EU President in Office, Fredrik Reinfeldt, that he would no longer push for a vote on José Manuel Barroso at the constitutive session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

"The decision of the Swedish Prime Minister is consistent with our group's own request last week that parliamentary procedure and proper consultation be respected," commented Verhofstadt. "We cannot do anything without a formal decision on a nomination. The proper process would then be to hear from the candidate in person about their programme and ambition for the Union over the next five years."

Discussions with the Swedish Presidency naturally focused on measures to deal with the financial and economic crisis which has to be the number one priority for the EU. Guy Verhofstadt reminded the Swedish Prime Minister of Sweden's own experience of dealing with a financial crisis in the early 1990s:

"Judging from recent experience, it is essential to focus our primary attention on the banking sector and ensure we have a proper European level supervisory and regulatory framework in place."

"Sweden took this path. Now the Member States of the European Union should also. We will not find a way out of a financial crisis that is sweeping the globe by coming up with 27 national action plans. The Council, Commission and Parliament must rapidly reach consensus on a common European approach."