Belgium: Climate change on agenda as EU leaders arrive to EC summit

W/S European Council President Charles Michel arriving at summit in Brussels
M/S Michel greeting media
W/S Michel talking to media
SOT, Charles Michel, European Council President: "Climate change is the number one priority for this afternoon's meeting. I hope we will have an agreement, climate neutrality is a very important goal, it is also a strong signal for the future of Europe, it means that you have to invest massively in research, in innovation, in industrial projects for the future of Europe, we will have a very important decision and I hope it will be possible to reach an agreement during this summit."
W/S Michel talking to media *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Charles Michel, European Council President: "I show always respect for the choices made by the voters and we will wait and we will see what will be the outcome of these [UK general] elections."
W/S Michel leaving
W/S Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin arriving at summit
M/S German Chancellor Angela Merkel arriving at summit
W/S Merkel walking down red carpet
M/S Merkel approaching media
SOT, Angela Merkel, German Chancellor (German): "The EU Commission presented its plan for climate protection yesterday, a so-called 'Green Deal', which is at the same time embarking on a very ambitious and sophisticated task and we will debate that today and tomorrow. Germany supports that vision that Ursula von der Leyen presented and Germany has compelled itself to reach carbon neutrality by 2050."
W/S Merkel leaving
M/S French President Emmanuel Macron arriving at summit
W/S Macron walking red carpet
C/U Macron walking
W/S Macron walking
W/S Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar approaching media
SOT, Leo Varadkar, Irish Prime Minister: "Obviously, it's entirely a decision of the people of the United Kingdom to elect whichever government they want. I just hope that the result is decisive, so that we know where we're going over the next few months." *JUMPCUT AT SOURCE*
W/S Varadkar leaving *JUMPCUT AT SOURCE*
M/S Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte arriving at summit
M/S Rutte talking to media
SCRIPT
European heads of states and governments arrived for the first day of the two-day European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday, which was chaired by European Council President Charles Michel for the first time since he was elected to the role in July.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte were among the heads of states and government that attended.
"Climate change is the number one priority for this afternoon's meeting. I hope we will have an agreement," stated Michel, adding that "we will have a very important decision and I hope it will be possible to reach an agreement during this summit."
"The EU Commission presented its plan for climate protection yesterday, a so-called 'Green Deal'," stated German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "Germany supports that vision that Ursula von der Leyen presented and Germany has compelled itself to reach carbon neutrality by 2050," she added.
As well as climate change, EU leaders are also expected to discuss a range of foreign issues, including the EU's long-term budget. During the second day of the summit, leaders are expected to discuss Brexit preparations.