Presidency Proposal to the COSAC Chairpersons Meeting in Lisbon 9 an 10 July 2007

 

10. July 2007

 

 

Recalling the Contribution of the XXXVII COSAC in Berlin in May 2007 according to which COSAC expects that National Parliaments and the European Parliament will be kept fully involved and that their views would be duly taken into account (1.3. of the Contribution), the COSAC Chairpersons Meeting in Lisbon on 9 and 10 July 2007 requests the European Council and its Portuguese Presidency in particular to examine the possibility of admitting National Parliament Observers to the negotiations of the 2007 IGC.

 

In particular, the Chairpersons of the European Affairs Committees from the National Parliaments of Portugal, Germany and Slovenia are asked to take part in the 2007 Intergovernmental Conference on a Reform Treaty for the European Union as observers. They are invited to report back to National Parliaments, in particular to European Affairs Committees, on deliberations about the stipulations concerning the future role National Parliaments in the European Union. The National Parliament Observers will closely cooperate with the European Parliament representatives in the IGC.

 

Reports to National Parliaments will be sent by the easiest practicable methods, e.g. by e-mail or through IPEX where appropriate. A report will be established for the COSAC Conference in Estoril in October 2007.

 

The Portuguese Parliament is asked to take up contact with the Council Presidency in order to negotiate the practical arrangements and report back to the COSAC Presidential Troika before the beginning of the IGC.

 

COSAC will establish a Working Group pursuant to rule 2.6 of the COSAC Rules of Procedure, composed by representatives of 27 National Parliaments, with the mandate to follow the IGC as closely as possible.