Strasbourg, 18/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The leaders of the 17 EPP-ED parliamentary groups of the EU Member States are meeting in Brussels on 21 and 22 May with the leaders of the European People's Party/European Democrat Group of the European Parliament, under the co-chairmanship of Hans-Gert Pottering, and the leaders of the groups of the Moderata and Kristdemokraterna of the Rikstag, Per Hunkel and Goran Hagglund. Mr. Poettering took this initiative in order to involve national parliaments in the preparations for the European Council of Gothenburg and in the post-Nice process, says a press release, which stipulates that taking part in this summit there will also be Wilfried Martens, EPP President, European Commission Presidnt Romano Prodi, Commission Vice-President Loyola de Palacio and Commissioner Michel Barnier.
In addition, former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and former President of the CDU, will take part in a meeting of the group in Brussels on 6 June. On that occasion, Mr. Poettering will receive the medal of "European Merit", awarded since 1970 to people having proven their commitment to European unification.