Brussels, 12/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European People's Party presided by Wilfried Martens is to hold its sixteenth congress on 4 and 5 February in Brussels. During the congress it will adopt its electoral manifesto for European elections this June as well as its 2004-2009 Action Programme. Also during the congress, to be attended by delegates of 64 parties (including twelve Heads of Government) and several European Commissioners, the EPP will amend its Party Statutes.
The Congress slogan will be: "The EPP: Your majority in Europe", reflecting the fact that the EPP is Europe's largest political party. Wilfried Martens commented saying: "This meeting is crucial to prepare our political family to become again in June the biggest European political party and continue working in favour of European citizens' interests". (See EUROPE of 8 January, p.4, for the comments by Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the EP Group, on the subject of European elections).