CONTRIBUTION OF THE XLIII COSAC

1. Israeli military operation against the flotilla sailing to Gaza

1.1. COSAC deeply regrets the loss of life during the Israeli militaryoperation against the flotilla sailing to Gaza and offers itscondolences to the families of the victims.1.2. COSAC condemns the use of violence.1.3. COSAC supports the demands by the High RepresentativeCatherine Ashton on behalf of the EU for an immediate, full andimpartial inquiry into the events and the circumstancessurrounding them.1.4. COSAC supports the EU call for an immediate, sustained andunconditional opening of crossings for the flow of humanitarianaid, commercial goods and persons to and from Gaza.

2. Polish air tragedy

2.1. COSAC expresses its deep sorrow on the tragic death of thePresident of the Republic of Poland and of all the members of hisdelegation in an air accident on 10 April 2010. The symbolicsignificance of the tragedy is heightened by the fact that itoccurred on the 70thanniversary of the Katyn Massacre thatmarked an entire generation during one of the saddest episodesin European history.

3. Economic crisis

3.1. COSAC expresses its concern regarding the deep economic crisisthat has had an important effect in all European economies andsocieties, bringing about sluggish growth and high levels ofunemployment and debt, and that has led Governments tointervene in order to sustain the banking and financial system,maintain economic activity and ensure the welfare system.3.2. COSAC supports the commitment of the European Union towardsa renewed strategy for sustainable growth and employment, asset out in the Europe 2020 Strategy put forward by the EuropeanCommission and supported by the European Council. NationalParliaments are urged to follow up on EU 2020.3.3. COSAC notes with concern that, at the present day, no MemberState of the Euro group fulfils the criteria set out by the Stabilityand Growth Pact, regarding public deficit, debt and price stabilityrequirements, even though national situations vary.3.4. COSAC believes that the measures agreed by the InternationalMonetary Fund, the European Commission, the European CentralBank and the members of the Euro area for the financialstabilisation of Greece were unavoidable. The members of theEuro zone believe that the Euro is needed and that the effects ofthe international financial and economic crisis would have beeneven worse without the common currency.

3.5. COSAC supports the creation of efficient mechanisms to regulateand control financial markets in order to avoid a similar crisis in thefuture.

4. The Climate challenge – preparing for Cancun

4.1. COSAC takes note of the conclusions of the European CouncilMeeting on 25-26 March 2010, and reiterates the conclusions of itsXLII meeting held in Stockholm on 5-6 October 2009 regarding theClimate challenge – the road to Copenhagen.4.2. COSAC thus urges the EU institutions to play a proactive part inpreparing the next UN Climate ConferenceCOP16in Cancun,Mexico on 29 November 2010 to 10 December 2010. The mainobjective remains to reach a global and comprehensive legalagreement with the objective of keeping the increase intemperature below 2� C compared to preindustrial levels.

5. The institutional framework

5.1. At its first ordinary meeting to be held after the entry into force ofthe Treaty of Lisbon, COSAC congratulates Mr. Herman VanRompuy on his appointment as President of the EuropeanCouncil, and Baroness Catherine Ashton on her appointment asHigh Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs andSecurity Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.5.2. COSAC hopes that the Treaty of Lisbon will live up to its fullpotential and that the appointment of Baroness Ashton will bringabout an effective common foreign and security policy, with thesupport of the European External Action Service that should beoperative as soon as possible.5.3. Given the special nature of this policy area, COSAC underlinesthe fundamental role of national Parliaments in the parliamentaryscrutiny of the common foreign and security policy as well as thecommon security and defence policy.5.4. COSAC supports the EU’s accession to the European Conventionfor the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms,as established in Article 6 of the Treaty on European Union, andcalls for the negotiations leading to its accession to be completedsoon. These negotiations should eventually ensure that theEuropean Union may submit written comments and take part inhearings when applications are submitted in relation to Legal Actsof the Union. The national Parliaments should have theopportunity to submit their comments to the EuropeanCommission on its negotiation mandate.5.5. COSAC notes the proposal for the amendment of the Treaties asregards the transitional measures concerning the composition ofthe European Parliament, which provide for 18 additional seats atthe European Parliament, as agreed by the European Council atits meeting on 18 and 19 June 2009.

6. The EU institutional balance

6.1. COSAC welcomes the enhanced possibilities for parliamentaryscrutiny of EU affairs which is a result of the strengthening of theparliamentary dimension of EU activities brought about by theLisbon Treaty; notes in this context the increased ability of bothnational Parliaments and the European Parliament to influenceEuropean policy and the possibility for greater cooperation inorder to secure democratic scrutiny of European policy.6.2. COSAC underlines that inter-institutional agreements should not inany circumstances affect the inter-institutional balance of theUnion and the letter and the spirit of the Treaty on EuropeanUnion.6.3. COSAC recalls that the independence of the EuropeanCommission should not be questioned and that the acts of theCouncil assume a particular significance for national Parliamentswhich exercise control of this body through their respectiveGovernments. COSAC expects that respective prerogatives of allEU institutions be maintained, as defined in the Treaties, whichentails no change in the status of the Council, thereby upholdingthe ability of national Parliaments and the European Parliament toinfluence European policy.

7. Regional strategies

7.1. COSAC wishes that the members of the Union for theMediterranean may continue to build on the values and goalsestablished 15 years ago in the Barcelona Declaration andreinforced during the Paris Summit of July 2008, in order to makethe Mediterranean region an area of peace, development andhuman and cultural dialogue and therefore welcomes the Unionfor the Mediterranean Summit due to take place in 2010.7.2. COSAC reiterates its support for the consolidation of therelationship between the European Union and Latin America.COSAC welcomes the results of the 6thEU-Latin America andCaribbean Summit held in Madrid on 18 and 19 May.7.3. COSAC welcomes the launching of the EU Baltic Sea RegionStrategy, which is an important macro-regional strategy since itssuccessful implementation and mid-term review pave the way foran enhanced regional cooperation.7.4. COSAC reaffirms its long term support for the EuropeanNeighbourhood policy and the Eastern Partnership, including theshaping of a parliamentary dimension of the Eastern Partnership.7.5. COSAC notes with interest the public consultations being held onthe Danube Strategy, with the aim of adopting and launching thisstrategy in the course of 2011.

8. Enlargement

8.1. COSAC welcomes all current applications for membership to theEuropean Union. COSAC also calls for the negotiations with allcandidate countries to be satisfactorily continued, provided thatestablished principles in this area, particularly the CopenhagenCriteria, have been met.

9. Definition of draft legislative acts

9.1. COSAC expresses its concern that the view of the Commissionand the Council as to what constitutes a “draft legislative act”would exclude from the scrutiny of national Parliaments underProtocol (No 2) certain legislative acts which are legislative insubstance and could raise issues of subsidiarity. COSAC calls onthe Commission and Council to review their position.

10. The future role of COSAC

10.1. The Treaty of Lisbon allows, since 1 December 2009, for draftlegislative acts, as defined by Article 289 (3) TFEU, to be scrutinisedthrough the procedures and with the effects established inProtocol (No 2) on the application of the principles of subsidiarityand proportionality. COSAC wishes to congratulate the EuropeanCommission and the Council on their response, which has so farcontributed to a smooth running of the new Protocol (No 2).Likewise, COSAC welcomes the process of political dialogue withthe European Commission. Monitoring the role of the nationalParliaments as outlined in particular in Article 12 of the Treaty onEuropean Union and its respective Protocols will remain one ofCOSAC's priorities.10.2. The so-called “Early-Warning System” as established in Protocol(No 2) and the coordination mechanism between nationalParliaments should play an adequate role in COSAC. Therefore,COSAC considers it necessary for its ordinary meetings to becomevenues for the exchange of views on politically sensitive issues withrelevant members of the European Commission and the Council,the President of the European Council, the President of theEuropean Commission, as well as with the President of theCouncil, in the context of the statutory role of COSAC.10.3. COSAC ordinary meetings could include the presentation by thePresident of the European Commission of his institution’s AnnualWorking Program in the first semester and an assessment of theCommission’s activities in the course of the year in the secondsemester.10.4. Furthermore, COSAC invites a response to this Contribution fromthe European Commission, the Council Presidency and theEuropean Parliament.