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Proposal
from the European Affairs Committee of the Danish Folketing
regarding the future COSAC work
Dear S�ren
Lekberg
The European
Affairs Committee of the Danish Folketing has discussed
the proposal from the COSAC-meting to present ideas for
the future organisation of the COSAC co-operation.
It is the
attitude of the Committee that is of great importance to
strengthen the COSAC co- operation thus strengthening the
role of the national Parliaments both individually and by
joint efforts in the EU-decision-making.
Specifically
we have the following proposal to be discussed at the COSAC-meeting
to be held on 20 - 22 May 2001:
We support
that a permanent COSAC-working group is established in-between
the COSAC- meetings. We have noted that for the preparation
of the COSAC-meeting in May, a representative from the European
Affairs Committees of each country has been invited to participate
in a meeting on 8th and 9th April. The vice-chairman of
the European Affairs Committee of the Folketing, Mrs Elisabeth
Arnold will participate at this working group meeting. However,
we do suggest that it is discussed which role the working
group should have and if the working group should only consist
of representatives from the troika countries or if all countries
should be represented. In our opinion the question is connected
to the question of which tasks the working group should
have.
Through COSAC
the opportunity for the European Affairs Comittees of the
national parliaments to exchange views, experiences etc.
is safeguarded. Please refer to the agreed rules. Furthermore
we suggest that the COSAC-co-operation should be extended
to include the ground principals for a co-operation between
the Standing Committees of the national parliaments (i.e.
The Agriculture Committee, The Environment Committee, The
Transport Committee etc.) in order to enable our parliament
colleagues in the specific areas to meet frequently to exchange
experiences, views etc. Hereby it enables us to strengthen
the co-operation between the national parliaments in specific
political areas in a structured way. It would heighten the
integration of politics between national parliaments and
the joint EU initiatives.
An annual
meeting for the relevant Standing Committees might be fitting.
They should of course organise the co-operation according
to their wishes and needs in the various specific political
areas. Each national parliament co-ordinates themselves
from its own national traditions among the respective European
Affairs Committees and the Standing Committees.
The background
for the proposal is that there is a great interest for this
amongst Danish Members of Parliament in the Standing Committees.
A couple of such cross-country meetings between the national
Standing Committees has taken place to date. The wish is
to have this co-operation structured.
Through such
combination of strengthening the inclusion of the Standing
Committees in European politics, and strengthening the cross-border
co-operation between the Standing Committees - as a supplement
to tasks of the national European Affairs Committees nationally
and in COSAC - it is possible in our view to create an even
stronger anchoring of the EU politics in the national democratic
decision-making.
The proposal
is therefore also a natural continuation of the intentions
of the Nice Treaty to strengthen the role of the national
Parliaments. The proposal does not take a position on what
the answer is in connection with the inter-governmental
conference 2004. Under any circumstances we find, that at
this moment there is a need for such strengthening of the
co-operation.
Yours sincerely,
Claus Larsen-Jensen
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