Europaudvalget 2016-17
EUU Alm.del Bilag 737
Offentligt
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PRESIDENTIAL TROIKA OF COSAC
Malta, 28 May 2017
PRESENT AT THE MEETING
CHAIR: Mr Angelo FARRUGIA, Speaker of the Maltese
Kamra tad-Deputati
Mr Martin KLUS, Vice Chair of the European Affairs Committee, Slovak
Národná rada,
Mr
Toomas VITSUT, Chair of the EU Affairs Committee, Estonian
Riigikogu,
Mr Jaak MADISON,
Vice Chair of the EU Affairs Committee, Estonian
Riigikogu;
Ms Danuta HÜBNER, Chair of the
Committee on Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament.
AGENDA
1. Adoption of the agenda of the meeting of the Presidential Troika of COSAC
2. Approval of the draft programme of the meeting of the LVII COSAC meeting
3. Presentation of the 27th Bi-annual Report of COSAC
4. Debate on the draft Conclusions of the LVII COSAC meeting
5. Letters received by the Presidency
6. Any other business
PROCEEDINGS
1. Adoption of the agenda of the meeting of the Presidential Troika of COSAC
Mr Angelo FARRUGIA, Speaker of the Maltese
Kamra tad-Deputati,
welcomed all the delegations
of the Presidential Troika of COSAC (hereinafter referred to as "the Troika") participating in the
Troika meeting.
In the absence of any objection, the agenda of the meeting of the Troika was adopted without
amendment.
2. Approval of the draft programme of the meeting of the LVII COSAC
Mr FARRUGIA gave a brief outline of the programme of the LVII COSAC meeting.
The five sessions of the LVII COSAC would focus on: 1) the reflections on the Maltese Presidency
of the Council of the European Union; 2) the role of national Parliaments in the future of the EU; 3)
the outcome of the UK referendum - state of play; 4) expanding the Blue Economy - towards a
more sustainable EU integrated maritime policy; and 5) migration - combatting human smuggling
and trafficking and establishing a humane and effective return and readmission policy.
The draft programme of the LVII COSAC was approved without amendment.
3. Presentation of the 27th Bi-annual Report of COSAC
Mr FARRUGIA invited the Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat, Ms Christiana FRYDA,
to give an outline of the presentation of the 27th Bi-annual Report of COSAC.
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Ms FRYDA briefly referred to the three chapters of the 27th Bi-annual Report of COSAC. The first
one dealt with scrutiny procedures and practices enabling national Parliaments to scrutinise the
government and EU proposals during the legislative phase; the second one focused on the outcome
of the UK referendum and the future of the EU; and the third one concentrated on migration,
combatting human smuggling and trafficking and establishing a humane and effective return and
readmission policy.
4. Debate on the draft Conclusions of the LVII COSAC meeting
Mr FARRUGIA explained that the Maltese Parliament had been dissolved and that a general
election had been called for 3 June 2017. In view of Malta s Constitutional provisions, Members of
Parliament, with the exception of the Speaker who remained in office until the first sitting of the
new Parliament, effectively lost their seat upon dissolution. Despite these circumstances, the
Maltese Parliament remained committed to its obligations arising from Malta s EU Presidency. The
Speaker explained that he would be chairing the LVII COSAC, but that there would be no Maltese
delegation at the meeting.
Due to these exceptional and unforeseen events, it was not deemed possible for the Presidency to
present a Contribution for adoption. The Presidency was, however, proposing the adoption of brief
Conclusions not comprising political statements. The draft text of the Conclusions was circulated to
delegations on 15 May 2017.
Ms HÜBNER stated that the European Parliament fully understood the situation and the exceptional
circumstances under which the meeting would be held. Nevertheless, underlining the importance of
the Contributions adopted by COSAC as part of a political process, she warned against following
the same direction of not adopting Contributions in the future.
Acknowledging the importance of the topics chosen for discussion by the Maltese Presidency, she
also invited the Estonian Presidency to pick up on those topics during the LVIII COSAC. Mr
VITSUT responded that migration, Brexit and the role of national Parliaments would feature on the
programme.
Stressing the importance attributed to cohesion policy by the meeting of the European Affairs
Committees of the Visegrad Group countries held in Bratislava on 21-23 May 2017, Mr KLUS
requested that the topic be introduced on the programme of the LVIII COSAC. Mr VITSUT
responded that the request would be discussed in his Parliament.
The Troika, in line with the Presidency's proposal, agreed to submit the text of the Conclusions, as
presented by the Presidency, to the Chairpersons of COSAC the following day.
5. Letters received by the Presidency
The Chair referred to the following letters:
Letter from Ms Jóna Sólveig ELÍNARDÓTTIR, Chair of the Standing Committee of
Foreign Affairs of the Icelandic
Althingi,
regarding participation in COSAC. After
consultation with the Troika, a letter of invitation had been sent out.
Letter from Mr Jean-Charles ALLA VENA, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Mr
Christophe STEINER, Speaker of the National Council of the Principality of Monaco,
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regarding participation in COSAC. After consultation with the Troika, a letter of invitation
had been sent out.
Letter from Mr Carles ENSENAT, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Consell
Generall of Andorra, regarding participation in COSAC. After consultation with the Troika,
a letter of invitation was extended.
Letter from Mr Pedro AGRAMUNT, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE), regarding participation in COSAC. After consultation with the
Troika, a letter of invitation had been sent out.
Letter from Ms Mariia IONOVA, Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine,
regarding participation in COSAC. After consultation with the Troika, a letter of invitation
had been sent out.
In addition, the Presidency had received from the Slovak
Národná rada
the conclusions of the
meeting of the European Affairs Committees of the Visegrad Group countries held in Bratislava on
21-23 May 2017.
6. Any other business
Mr FARRUGIA announced that the Presidency had received 23 letters of intent from 20 national
Parliaments regarding the co-financing agreement for the Permanent Member of the COSAC
Secretariat for 2018-2019. The next day he would encourage Parliaments to send the remaining
letters as soon as possible. The term of the current Permanent Member would expire at the end of
2017 and the Estonian Presidency was tasked with the selection of the next Permanent Member to
be appointed at the LVIII COSAC in Tallinn.
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