EUU, Alm.del - 2010-11 (1. samling) - Bilag 53: Bidrag og konklusioner fra COSAC-møde i Bruxelles 26/10-10

CONTRIBUTION OF THE XLIV COSACBrussels, 24 – 26 October 2010___________________________________1. Sustainable development in the EUROPE 2020 Strategy1.1.COSAC considers the EUROPE 2020 Strategy to be a well integrated and co-ordinated approach that must lead to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth,sufficiently taking into account both the economic and the scientific developmentsinside and outside the EU and its social and environmental consequences and respectfor human rights.COSAC’s support for the EUROPE 2020 Strategy is not unconditional. Hence, theEuropean Commission and the Council are invited, during the process of futurelegislation, to bear in mind the need to limit the number of targets, coordinate withother EU initiatives, ensure Europe’s energy security and avoid productivity losses.The EUROPE 2020 Strategy must be taken into account in the reform process of theeconomic governance in Europe.COSAC calls on national Parliaments and the European Parliament to take politicalownership of the EUROPE 2020 Strategy by actively monitoring its implementation.COSAC also calls on the European Commission, the Council and the EuropeanParliament to enhance the integration of the challenges of the European UnionStrategy for Sustainable Development into legislative proposals and other initiatives.COSAC notices with satisfaction that national Parliaments consider that the decision-making process is sufficiently stringent and that the parliamentary oversight issufficiently guaranteed. In this context, peer pressure is of particular importance.Finally, in the framework of the follow up of the EUROPE 2020 Strategy, COSACinvites national Parliaments to reflect on their future role with regard to NationalReform Plans.

2. Parliamentary scrutiny of the common foreign and security policy and thecommon security and defence policy (henceforth "CFSP" and "CSDP")2.1.COSAC stresses the need for parliamentary scrutiny of both CFSP and CSDP.(i)Parliamentary oversight of CFSP and CSDP should involve both nationalParliaments and the European Parliament;(ii)The mechanism of parliamentary oversight of CFSP and CSDP shouldrepresent value for money and should add value to the work that Parliamentsalready do in this area;(iii)There should be no new institutions or bodies established;(iv)Parliamentary oversight should involve Members specialising in foreignaffairs, defence and European Union affairs.As a result, COSAC wishes that the new mechanism for parliamentary oversight ofthe CSDP be put in place during 2011.

3. Economic governance in the European Union3.1.While COSAC welcomes the recent proposals on economic governance and calls fora fast track implementation approach, COSAC stresses that the far-reaching impact ofthe proposals calls for careful scrutiny and underlines the necessity for a thoroughdecision-making process that will lead to a genuine political commitment at thenational and EU level alike. The effectiveness of parliamentary scrutiny exercised bynational Parliaments and the European Parliament must not in any circumstances bejeopardised.

4. The future role of COSAC4.1.4.2.COSAC emphasises its monitoring role through the exchange of information and bestpractice and, in particular, through its possible Bi-annual Reports.COSAC considers an extensive debate on the Work Programme of the EuropeanCommission as an essential and recurrent part of its agenda. Therefore, COSACencourages the incoming Presidencies to include a debate on the Work Programme ofthe European Commission in the agenda of the ordinary meetings of COSAC. Whenfixing the date of these meetings, COSAC Presidencies are invited to take intoaccount the timing of the publication of the European Commission’s WorkProgramme.As forum for exchange, COSAC is the appropriate body to debate specific Europeanpolicies and issues. The discussions in COSAC have revealed a converging interest ofnational Parliaments and the European Parliament for that kind of debate.COSAC encourages national Parliaments to play an active role in the smoothfunctioning of the European Union by using all the possibilities offered to them by theTreaty of Lisbon. In particular, COSAC encourages the Chambers of the EUParliaments to:a) monitor the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionalityaccording to the procedures outlined in Protocol 2 annexed to the Treaties;b) continue the political dialogue with the European Commission not onlylimited to legislative proposals and going well beyond the issue ofsubsidiarity.COSAC will take note of the results of these activities in order to share informationand good practices between national Parliaments.

5. Cooperation with the European Union institutions5.1.COSAC highly appreciates the participation for the first time of Mr. Herman VanRompuy, the President of the European Council. It is convinced that its co-operationwith the Council as well as with the European Council will continue to be as cordialas it is successful.With reference to the definition of “draft legislative act”, COSAC refers to theContribution of the XLIII COSAC and invites the Council to reconsider its initialposition.

COSAC is delighted to have heard the address of Mr. José Manuel Barroso, thePresident of the European Commission, and welcomes the ensuing debate on thechallenges for the Union over the next year. COSAC hopes that this direct dialoguewill become a regular feature on the agenda of COSAC so that national Parliamentsand the European Parliament can have an open discussion with the EuropeanCommission.COSAC stresses that the application of the framework agreement between theEuropean Parliament and the European Commission must be subject to constant legalmonitoring.COSAC underlines that all institutions are to respect the institutional balance resultingfrom the letter and the spirit of the Treaties.In the light of the forthcoming consultation documents and legislative proposals onEuropol and Eurojust, COSAC underscores the utmost need for a broad and timelypreliminary consultation with national Parliaments by the European Commission.COSAC requests the European Commission to simultaneously publish the legislativeproposals on Europol and Eurojust.COSAC invites a response to this Contribution from the European Commission, theCouncil Presidency and the European Parliament.