"The main commitments in the climate and energy package must be maintained", reiterated Annemie Neyts, ELDR Party President, opening the summit. "We do not want to scale down the targets", she added.

Graham Watson, Leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament, stated: "If member states cannot agree on effective emissions trading targets, they must agree on a method for carbon capture and storage." Confident of the outcome he said: "I believe we can reach agreement at this summit". Watson also strengthened the support of the group for the Commission's economic stimulus package and called on member states to tread with care when bending rules they have themselves set out with good reason.

On the Lisbon Treaty, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Danish Prime Minister, said: "We must do our upmost to facilitate the ratification of the Treaty before the end of the present Commission. If Ireland can secure ratification of the Treaty, I am prepared to accept one commissioner per country."

Referring to the rising anti-European movements, Watson intervened: "The European elections will be challenging, but they are challenges we can meet. The main aim is to stop the spread of anti-European messages and we must work to counter this.

"The leader of the Liberal Democrats (UK), Nick Clegg also attended the Liberal summit. "We are strongly pro Europe and are for a strong and united Europe and collective action" he said. Commenting on the financial crisis, Clegg highlighted that it is "an acid test for the EU to provide stability and security at a time of recession and rising unemployment."