CONTRIBUTION FOR THE XXIV COSAC Presented by the Committee on European Affairs of the Assembly of the Republic PORTUGAL (in accordance with article 10.5 of the COSAC Rules of Procedure) 1. COSAC, in the spirit of the Lisbon European Council, welcomes the acceptance by the Stockholm European Council of the recommendations drawn up in the 22nd and 23rd COSAC regarding the Union's new strategic objective of basing its economy on a society of knowledge, and recognises the impulse given to this process by the Swedish Presidency of the Union. 2 . COSAC, taking into account the declaration on the future of the Union, annex to the Treaty of Nice, expresses itself in favour of: - the need of a more precise limitation of competencies between the European Union and its Member States, which respects the principle of subsidiarity; - the adoption by the Governments and Parliaments of Member States of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union proclaimed in Nice, as a binding instrument, with the same value as the treaties and subject to court review; - the simplification of the Treaties in order to make them more clear and understandable without changing their meaning; - an important and active role for national Parliaments in the European arquitecture. 3 . COSAC asks the European Commission to take into account the contribution of the applicant countries and their Parliaments in what concerns the debate on the future of the Union. 4 . COSAC strongly supports the enlargement process of the European Union and calls on the Governments of the Member States to take the appropriate measures so that the ratification process of the Treaty of Nice may be completed by the beginning of 2002.