Mayor Marcel Philipp on the laureate:
‘The European Union will have to keep on reinventing itself if it is to solve its current problems and gain the backing of its population. This calls not only for the naming of visions but also for the strength and perseverance to work towards their realisation. Herman Van Rompuy embraces these challenges, and is dauntless in his descriptions of the political and structural visions of Europe's future. He uses his role as the President of the European Council to shape the road forward, step by step, from one milestone to the next. His pragmatism and negotiating power enable him to coordinate and reconcile the interests of the Member States. Mr Van Rompuy, with your work you have rendered a major contribution to the degree of European integration and coordination that we now enjoy.’