EU-UK future relations: press conference on the latest EP resolution

Following the plenary vote on the new resolution on EU-UK future relations, lead MEPs will hold a press conference on Thursday at 15.00.   When: Thursday 18 June at 15:00 CET Where: Anna Politkovskaya pressroom (PHS building in Brussels) and via Skype This week, Parliament will debate and vote on, among other things, its draft recommendations on the ongoing negotiations for a new partnership between the EU and the United Kingdom. The MEPs taking part in the press conference are:   David McAllister (Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the UK Coordination Group); Bernd Lange (Chair of the Committee on International Trade, member of the UK Coordination Group); Kati Piri (co-rapporteur, member of the UK Coordination Group); and Christophe Hansen (co-rapporteur, member of the UK Coordination Group).   How to follow the press conference online Journalists are welcome to attend the press conference in person. However, Parliament will also continue to use an interactive virtual press environment (with interpretation) based on Skype TX, in conjunction with the traditional EbS and web-streaming services. You can follow the press conference on EbS or via Parliament’s web-streaming. If you wish to ask a question online: • You will need a SKYPE account. • Connect to VOXBOXEP and write your name and media organisation in the chat box   Please use headphones and a microphone for better sound quality. The system will be managed by Parliament’s media services and you will be placed in a queue (virtual waiting room) before being invited to ask your question(s). If you have any trouble connecting, you can contact: +32 22834220. After asking a question / listening to the reply (and any follow-up), you should then disconnect from Skype so that the next journalist in line can be connected to the press briefing room.   REMINDER: working conditions in Parliament for journalists in light of Coronavirus Journalists are welcome to attend the press conference in person. It is nevertheless mandatory as of 13 May to wear a community mask that covers mouth and nose at all times while in Parliament’s buildings. Journalists, who want to come to Parliament in person, are therefore asked to bring a mask and wear it in order to access Parliament’s premises. However, journalists could exceptionally and for the limited duration of a recording (stand-ups, interviews, studio recordings) remove their mask, if the social distancing measures are respected. This exception also applies to taking the floor in press conferences. Please note that masks should be put on again immediately after the recording. The exceptions do not apply to bilateral conversations or interviews that are not recorded. Journalists are also still required to keep a distance of each other and others of 2 meters preventively.   Please also note that as part of the precautionary measures, the European Parliament will apply mandatory temperature checks of any person entering Parliament’s premises as of 15 June 2020. Access to Parliament’s buildings will be denied to any person who is found to have a body temperature of 37.7 degree Celsius or more or who refuses to have the body temperature checked. Please note that the equipment is not connected to Parliament’s IT network, nor does it register any data. These measures are meant to continue to ensure Parliament’s operational capacity, while at the same time avoiding health risks for Members, staff and other persons working in and visiting the European Parliament. Please refrain from coming to EP premises if you present any symptoms of a respiratory infection, if you have knowingly been in contact with an infected person in the last 14 days or if you have been to regions with very high transmission rates.