Challenging Russian aggression, tackling migration and promoting organisational reform should sit alongside Brexit as the EU's priorities over the next six months.
Addressing the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in the European Parliament today, ECR Group co-leader Syed Kamall urged Bulgaria's presidency of the European Council not to allow the Brexit negotiations to crowd out other important issues.
He said: "We hope that the Brexit negotiations will not just lead to a new EU-UK relationship but also act as a catalyst for a reformed EU.
"The ECR hopes the Bulgarian presidency will be vocal and strong in the face of continued Russian aggression in Ukraine.
"With calls for a more integrated Eurozone, we hope you will focus on fixing what is broken before building grand projects on weak foundations.
"And on the migration crisis, you ask EU countries what they can do to help rather than telling them what to do."