Allerede i dag vil jeg gerne på vegne af os alle hjerteligt takke min forgænger i embedet, Josep Borrell Fontelles, for hans utrættelige indsats. Jeg takker ham især også personligt.
Right now, I should like, on behalf of us all, to thank my predecessor in office, Mr Borrell Fontelles, for his tireless endeavours, and I do this for a particular and personal reason, in that, in my former role as a group chairman, I had constant dealings, and a fruitful relationship, with him, so my heartfelt thanks go to Josep Borrell.