COSAC - Compte rendu analytique de la COSAC de Versailles - Toast du Pr�sident Poncelet (16 octobre 2000)

Compte rendu de la XXIII�me COSAC
Versailles - 16-17 octobre 2000

Toast pronounced by Mr Christian PONCELET, President of the Senate,
at the lunch given on the occasion of the 23rd Conference of European Affairs Committees

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Versailles, 16 October 2000

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Ladies and Gentlemen Member Parliamentarians of COSAC,

My Dear Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

With Chairman Hubert HAENEL and our colleagues who are members of the Senate Delegation for European Affairs, I am particularly pleased to welcome you today to the ch�teau of Versailles.

As an opening remark, I am pleased that we have now reached the twenty-third COSAC meeting, the third to be chaired by France. Thus, the initiative taken more than ten years ago by my predecessor, President Alain POHER, and by my friend President Laurent FABIUS, has accomplished its objective. The participation of national Parliaments in European construction was fully justified at the time, just as it is now. I'll refer back to this later.

I am also pleased to welcome our colleagues representing the Parliaments of the candidate States. Historic flashbacks come to mind. COSAC met for the first time in Paris in November 1989 with twelve member States, only a few days after the fall of the Berlin Wall that separated Berlin, Germany and Europe into two. Today as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of German unity which took place peacefully and democratically, and just after the electoral overthrow of the last dictatorship of our continent, it appears quite natural that the national Parliaments should anticipate enlargement.

It indeed appears essential to me to clearly show that over and beyond the difficulties of joining the European Union, enlargement means that all the countries of our continent already share a common destiny.

It is normal that the wide array of situations, the disparity between the levels of economic and social development, and the various stages reached by the political systems and the civil societies are felt in the negotiations--above all technical. But at the same time it would be dangerous to fail to live up to the immense expectations placed in the Union and risky for its own credibility to fail to give first priority to enlargement.

Ladies and Gentlemen Parliamentarians from all Europe,

It has been said time and again that the European Union cannot operate with twenty or thirty Member States like with six or fifteen. That's why the Heads of State and of Government will have to settle at the Nice European Council, in a few weeks time, the four points on the agenda of the Inter-Governmental Conference:

- reorganisation of the Commission, to safeguard its efficacy and collegiality after enlargement;

- extension of the scope of subjects where decisions are taken by qualified majority voting;

- reweighting of votes in the Council on the basis of clear and fair criteria;

- organisation of closer cooperation, in other words the possibility for a group of Member States to deepen their actions, if that is their wish, without jeopardising the interests of the other members.

On these fundamental points, we Parliamentarians should-- according to our national procedures--be consulted, listened to and even heeded.

It must also be observed, even if we regret the fact, that for several years we have been witnessing a growing disinterest for European affairs among certain sections of the public. Our fellow citizens even abstain from voting, as shown by the low participation at the last European Parliament elections.

European construction must therefore be made more tangible for Europe's citizens. Euro-sceptics and other opponents of the noble cause started fifty years ago--the building of a free, peaceful, democratic and prosperous Europe--must in no case be left a free hand.

One of the means of bringing Europe closer to citizens is a better involvement of national Parliaments in the Community process. Which is why COSAC exists.

There are also means which each assembly can implement individually.

Accordingly, and our Deputy colleagues will excuse me for this reminder, the Senate set up an office in Brussels to gain earlier knowledge of Community draft decisions reached by the European bodies. Although only a light structure, the office provides it with precious information on the content and stakes of decisions in the process of being reached. Otherwise these matters would be brought before the Senate, as is the case with many national Parliaments, only for passive ratification just before their final examination by the Council. Like our colleagues at the British Parliament, the Danish Parliament and the Finnish Parliament, we naturally want to pass on to you our experience in this field.

Another means, more ambitious and requiring prior analysis on our behalf, could consist in the creation alongside the European Parliament, which foreshadows the European people in the making, of a second assembly which would represent the peoples and the territories of Europe.

If this `missing link' in the architecture of institutions were set up, elected representatives who have remained on the spot owing to their local responsibilities could have access to Europe.

The treble parliamentary function of participation in the legislative process, scrutiny of the executive and prospective analysis would be considerably enriched in the European Union by introducing bicameralism.

Already launched ten years ago by President Alain POHER, this suggestion today receives more support, particularly because Messrs Joschka FISCHER and Tony BLAIR have recently championed it.

My Dear Colleagues,

Over and beyond the Inter-Governmental Conference and the ongoing enlargement, we must analyse the purposes of European construction and the political organisation of tomorrow's Union. National parliaments absolutely must contribute to it in a substantial manner. This is another challenge to rise to, but well worth the effort since Europe's very future is at stake!

May I therefore raise my glass to your health, to the Versailles COSAC meeting and to the strength of parliamentarism in Europe! And also to happiness in your respective countries.