Europaudvalget 2009-10
EUU Alm.del Bilag 489
Offentligt
MINUTES OF THE COSAC PRESIDENTIAL TROIKA MEETING
Brussels, 4 July 2010
PRESENT AT THE MEETING:
IN THE CHAIR: Mr Herman DE CROO (Chambredes représentants,Belgium); Ms VanessaMATZ (Sénat, Belgium)Mr Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE (CortesGenerales,Spain); Mr Alex SÁEZ JUBERO (CortesGenerales,Spain); Mr Lajos MILE (Országgyülés, Hungary); Mr Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZMARTÍNEZ (European Parliament); Mr Carlo CASINI (European Parliament)AGENDA:
1. Adoption of the agenda for the Presidential Troika Meeting
2. Adoption of the draft agenda for the Chairperson’s Meeting
3. Debate and adoption of the draft agenda for the XLIV COSAC Meeting
4. Adoption of the Outline of the Fourteenth Bi-annual Report
5. Letters received by the Presidency
6. Any other business
PROCEEDINGS:
1. Adoption of the agenda for the Presidential Troika Meeting
The meeting was chaired by Mr Herman DE CROO, Co-Chairperson of the Federal AdvisoryCommittee for European Affairs for the BelgianChambre des représentantsand Ms VanessaMATZ, Co-Chairperson of the Federal Advisory Committee for European Affairs for theBelgianSénat,who welcomed the Members of the Presidential Troika and thanked the Spanishdelegation for their successful Presidency.At the request of Mr Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ, Mr Herman DE CROO explainedthe procedures and timetable for the constitution of the Belgian Federal Parliament and its bodiesafter the legislative elections of 13 June 2010. Concerning the parliamentary committees, theireventual establishment depends on the constitution of the Federal Government. If it takes toolong to constitute a new Government, the committees may be established temporarily.Following the explanation, Mr Herman DE CROO presented the draft agenda of the COSACPresidential Troika meeting. The agenda was adopted as set out above.2. Adoption of the draft agenda for the Chairpersons' Meeting
Mr Herman DE CROO presented the draft agenda for the Meeting of the Chairpersons ofCOSAC. The agenda was approved as proposed by the Presidency.3. Debate and adoption of the draft agenda for the XLIV COSAC Meeting
The Belgian Presidency suggested three subjects for the Fourteenth Bi-Annual Report ofCOSAC. Two of them were already on the draft agenda of the XLIV COSAC meeting, namelySustainable Development in the Europe 2020 Strategy and Parliamentary Scrutiny of theCommon Security and Defence Policy (henceforth “CSDP”). The third subject, namely theFuture role of COSAC after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, was a continuation ofthe debate of the XLIII COSAC meeting in Madrid. The Belgian Presidency suggested adding itto the agenda of the XLIV COSAC meeting depending on the timing of the speech of thePresident of the European Commission Mr José Manuel BARROSO.Mr Carlo CASINI pointed out that if Mr José Manuel BARROSO and Mr Herman VANROMPUY, President of the European Council, were invited, it might be a good idea to invitealso Mr Jerzy BUZEK, the President of the European Parliament, to offer parity to the threeEuropean Union institutions.Mr DE CROO explained that if Mr Jerzy BUZEK would be invited that would shorten evenmore the time allocated for the debates of COSAC. The Chairman also pointed out that there wasa significant difference between the European Parliament on the one side and the EuropeanCouncil and the European Commission on the other, as the European Parliament was a Memberof COSAC.Mr Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE agreed with the Presidency and pointed out that the draft agenda ofthe XLIV COSAC meeting, like the agenda of the XLIII COSAC meeting in Madrid, wasalready quite heavy. Mr ARIAS CAÑETE expressed his support for the presented draft agenda.Mr Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ proposed that a Member of the EuropeanParliament presented one of the subjects of the Fourteenth Bi-Annual Report of COSAC as akeynote speaker.Ms Vanessa MATZ explained that the Belgian Presidency planned not to have keynote speakersat the XLIV COSAC meeting in order to give more time for debates. The proposal of thePresidency was accepted by the Members of the Presidential Troika.Taking into account the above mentioned adaptations, the draft agenda of the XLIV COSACmeeting was approved as presented by the Belgian Presidency.4. Adoption of the Outline of the Fourteenth Bi-annual Report
Mr Herman DE CROO presented the draft outline of the Fourteenth Bi-annual Report ofCOSAC.Mr Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE pointed out that in his opinion the outline established a precedentby taking one of the themes of the Presidency´s programme for the Bi-Annual Report ofCOSAC. He underlined that he was not against the proposed subjects but that the Chairpersonsof COSAC had to be made aware that the subjects had been proposed by the Presidency andapproved by the Presidential Troika.2
Mr Herman DE CROO agreed that the subjects on the Europe 2020 Strategy and on theparliamentary control of the CSDP were linked to the priorities of the Belgian Presidency.According to the Mr DE CROO, it was time for COSAC to explore novel subjects rather than thetraditional ones, for instance, the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.Mr Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ agreed that the proposed subjects were importantand predicted that it might not be easy to chair the debates on these subjects as there would be alot of interest and new ideas on these subjects. Mr MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ pointed out that theChairpersons could still amend the proposed outline.Mr Herman DE CROO agreed and summarised the debate by stating that the Presidential Troikawould present a common proposal, based on the proposal of the Presidency and that theChairpersons would take the final decision on the outline of the Fourteenth Bi-annual Report.Mr Herman DE CROO then presented the subjects for the Fourteenth Bi-Annual Report more indetail. As there were no comments or suggestions to amend the first chapter on "Sustainabledevelopment in the Europe 2020 Strategy" the outline for this chapter was approved.Mr DE CROO informed the Members of the Presidential Troika that the second chapter woulddeal with the "Parliamentary Scrutiny of the Common Security and Defence Policy" and that theEuropean Parliament had presented a number of amendments for the outline of this chapter.Mr Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ explained the proposed amendments of theEuropean Parliament:1. In paragraph 2, since the WEU could not be considered to be the interparliamentarybody dealing with CSDP, it was proposed to delete the second part of the firstsentence.2. In paragraph 5, where reference was made to Article 10 of Protocol 1 of the Treaty ofLisbon, it was proposed to also quote Article 9 of Protocol 1 on interparliamentarycooperation between national Parliaments and the European Parliament.3. In paragraph 6, it was proposed to insert the words "even more so" before the word"defence" to underline that security remains to a large extend national policy and evenmore so defence.4. In paragraph 8, it was proposed to add a sentence, stating that "Other nationalParliaments have expressed other views" than the FrenchSénaton the creation of anew structure for the scrutiny of CSDP.After an exchange of views, it was decided that all the amendments of the European Parliamentwith slight modifications, except the first one, were acceptable. It was decided:1. To modify paragraph 2 stating that the WEU was one of the interparliamentary bodiesdealing with security and defence policy in Europe.2. To quote Article 9 of Protocol 1 in paragraph 5 instead of paragraph 4.3. To accept the third amendment as proposed by the European Parliament.4. To add to paragraph 8 a sentence stating that "Some Members of COSAC haveexpressed different opinions."Mr Herman DE CROO after having checked with the Members of the Presidential Troika statedthat the proposed changes in the draft outline had been agreed on.
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Chapter 3 of the Fourteenth Bi-Annual Report was on the Future role of COSAC after the entryinto force of the Treaty of Lisbon, as the discussion in Madrid was not closed. No comments orsuggestions for amending this chapter had been expressed and therefore the outline for thischapter was approved as proposed by the Presidency.Mr Herman DE CROO summarized the discussion on this point of agenda and proposed that atthe meeting of the Chairpersons of COSAC the following day he would propose the threesubjects for the Fourteenth Bi-Annual Report with the amendments agreed by the PresidentialTroika and would explain the procedure used to reach this decision. This was agreed upon.5. Letters received by the Presidency
No letters were received.6. Any other business
Mr Herman DE CROO asked the European Parliament delegation about the plans concerning theinterparliamentary meeting organised by the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs(AFET) and its Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE) on 28-29 of September 2010.Mr Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ explained that the committee had wished to co-organise this meeting with the Belgian Presidency, but this was not feasible as the committees inthe Belgian Parliament were not yet constituted. It would be preferable to have a jointorganisation of this meeting.Mr Herman DE CROO stated that it should be possible to co-organise this meeting, even if theBelgian Federal Parliament is not fully functional.Mr Miguel Ángel MARTÍNEZ MARTÍNEZ pointed out that the European Parliament wouldapplaud this as the meeting could then be far more effective. Moreover, as the theme ofparliamentary scrutiny of the CSDP would be taken up by other interparliamentary meetings andit would be most appropriate to have this meeting co-organized with the Belgian Presidency.Mr Herman DE CROO pointed out that the Belgian Parliament could designate Members, evenif its committees were not yet constituted. He considered that it would be possible to have theEuropean Parliament and the Belgian Parliament co-chair the meeting. If by the time of themeeting no parliamentary committees were constituted and no committee Chairpersons wereelected, the Parliament could designate a Chair.Mr Carlo CASINI pointed out that the European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs(AFCO) planned to hold an interparliamentary meeting on 30 September 2010 on the Europeanelectoral reform and the citizens' initiative. If possible, he would like to have this meeting also asco-organized with the Belgian Presidency.Mr Herman DE CROO responded that even if the committees of the Belgian Parliament were notconstituted, the Parliament could designate participants to this interparliamentary meeting aswell.
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