Joint Committee on European Union Affairs COSAC LII Plenary Meeting Rome 1-2 December 2014 Report of the Delegation
Joint Committee on European Union Affairs Report on attendance at COSAC Plenary Meeting Rome, Italy, 30 November -2 December 2014 1. COSAC, the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union, is the principal forum for co-operation between committees of the national parliaments dealing with European affairs. COSAC meetings are held biannually and normally take place in the country holding the EU-presidency. The LII COSAC was held in Rome, Italy on 30 November to 2 December 2014. (COSAC Programme). 2. The Joint Committee on European Union Affairs was represented by Deputy Dominic Hannigan, Chairman, Deputy Bernard Durkan, Deputy Timmy Dooley and Senator Aideen Hayden. The delegation was accompanied by Bríd Dunne, Clerk to the Committee, Fiona Cashin, Policy Advisor and Mr. Derek Dignam Oireachtas Permanent Rep., Bruseels. 3. The Chairman also participated in a side-meeting of COSAC on the Monday, 1 December with the First Vice-President to the EU Commission, Mr. Frans Timmersmans. A note of this meeting is available below at Annex 1. 4. Senator Aideen Hayden represented the Irish delegation at the Womens Forum on 2 December. 5. The COSAC meeting was chaired by Mr. Vannino Chiti, Chairman of the Italian Senate EU Policies Committee and Mr. Michele Bordo, Chairman of the Chamber EU policies Committee. 6. The main guest speakers at the meeting were Mr Matteo Renzi, President of the Italian Council of Ministers; Mr. Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President to the EU Commission, Mr. Carlo Padoan, Italian Economic and Finance Minister; Mr. Ramón luis Valcárcel Siso, Vice-President of the European Parliament. Other speakers included, Ms Hubner, Chairwoman of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs EP; Lord T. Boswell, Chairman of the EU Select Committee, House of Lords; Mr. Marc Angel, Chairman of the Foreign and European Affairs Committee, Luxembourg; Ms. Danielle Auroi, Chairwoman of the European Affairs Committee, French National Assembly; Gunther Krichbaum, Chairman of the Committee on Affairs of the European Union, German Bundestag Mr. Juan Moscoso Del Prado, Foreign Affairs Committee, Spanish Congress; Mr. Claudio Martini, Member of the Senate Committee on EU Policies ; Ms. Lolita Čigāne, Chairwoman of the European Affairs Committee, Parliament of Latvia; Mr. Sandro Gozi, Under-Secretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of 2
Ministers in charge of European Affairs; Mr. Morten Kjaerum, Director of The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and Coordinator of the European Agency Network for 2014; and Sir William Cash, Chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee, House of Commons. Procedural Issues 7. The draft agenda of the LII COSAC which was adopted without amendment. A deadline of 12 noon, 30 November for accepting amendments to the draft conclusions and contributions of LII COSAC applied. 8. Members of the Irish delegation contributed to the discussions on agenda items as follows:- State of Play of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (Deputy Bernard Durkan) Following the address by the key note speaker, Mr. Matteo Renzi, President of the Italian Council of Ministers on the State of Play of the Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a wide-ranging debate, which included 17 contributions from the conference Opening his contribution to the debate in the Irish language, Deputy Bernard Durkan congratulated the Italian the Presidency for its work since assuming the role at a time of great change in the European Institutions. He referred to the Italian Presidency programme as being apt; wide-ranging and ambitious, with reform and renewal at its core. He welcomed the announcement of the European Investment Plan with the expressed hope that it would help to deliver economic growth and jobs across the Union and in particular for young people. (Reference minutes pages 4-7 for the full debate on this item LII COSAC - Minutes) The future of supranational democracy 5 years after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty: What role for European institutions and national Parliaments? (Deputy Dominic Hannigan, Chairman) The recently appointed First Vice-President of the EU Commission, Mr. Frans Timmermans addressed the conference on this topic. His address provoked a lively debate, which included 34 contributions from the floor. For Ireland, the Chairman Mr. Dominic Hannigan contributed to the debate, in the Irish language. In welcoming the debate on this issue, he acknowledged the role played by the Lisbon Treaty thus far in the increasing the role of national 3
parliaments in the scrutiny of proposed EU legislation at national level. He referred to the practical difficulties for parliaments in exercising fully the rights gained under Lisbon Treaty. He expressed the Irish viewpoint that further enhancement of the power of national parliaments could be done under the current treaty arrangement. He proposed, for example, that the EU Commission letters of intent in relation to policy programming be sent also to the speakers of national parliaments, as part of the consultation process on the development of the EU Commission work programme at the same time as it would be sent to the other institutions. He also proposed that a one-day national Parliament s conference be held, annually (in Brussels), with the EU Commissioners to discuss horizontal issues and the selection of important cross-sectoral files. National parliaments would send delegations depending on the files to be discussed. (Reference minutes pages 7-12 for the full debate on this item LII COSAC - Minutes) Review of the Europe 2020 Strategy: growth, employment, competitiveness (Senator Aideen Hayden) Key note speaker Mr Pier Carlo Padoan, Italian Economy and Finance Minister noted that growth and employment must lie are the core of the EU s economic policy and presented the Italian s presidency s view on how a European growth could be achieved. 25 speakers took the floor in the subsequent debate which highlighted the differences between Member States preferred approach to promote economy growth in Europe from those advocating economic investment through increased capital spending and those Members States calling for continued fiscal prudence. For Ireland, Senator Aideen Hayden contributed to the debate and began by informing the conference of the work done by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Europe 2020 Strategy and the resulting political contribution send by the Houses of the Oireachtas to the European Institutions, as part of the mid-term review process. Senator Hayden when on to outline the main recommendations contained in the Irish political contribution, namely, a call for social indicators, such as those used in the Alert Mechanism Report, to be used to monitor negative social outcomes in policy development; need for a more inclusive, partnership and less centre driven approach to implementing the strategy; called for the introduction of qualitative measurements of headline targets and the move away from a one-size-fits-all approach in achieving strategy targets. (Reference minutes pages 13-18 for the full debate on this item LII COSAC - Minutes) 4
9. Meeting of Chairpersons of COSAC Deputy Dominic Hannigan, Chairman remained in attendance for the Chairperson s meeting. The Chairman of the meeting, Mr Vannino Chiti informed the meeting that the Chairs had received the Troika text as the complete list of amendments which had be received in respect of the draft Contribution before the deadline (30 November). He explained of his intention to consider each amendment in sequence. No Amendments had been received on the Draft Conclusions document. Ireland submitted ten amendments in total before the deadline, including four proposed additions under the Europe 2020 heading. Nine of the proposed Irish amendments were agreed including the four proposed additions under the Europe 2020 heading. (The substantive Irish amendments to the COSAC contribution are highlighted at Annex 2). Day 2-02 December 2014 10. European integration prospects: Global role of the European Union and projection of its policies in the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe (Deputy Dominic Hannigan, Chairman) In a debate with 27 contributions from the delegates, Deputy Dominic Hannigan, Chairman, contributed on behalf of the Irish delegation. He began by reiterating Ireland s continued support for EU enlargement and integration, as a means of promoting peace and prosperity throughout Europe. He acknowledged the phenomenon of enlargement fatigue among Member States. He pointed to the struggle for the EU way of life taking place in other non-members such as in Ukraine. He referred to the unbalanced view that applicant countries were to blame for the slow pace of enlargement, citing again enlargement fatigue as another factor. He referred to the problems within Member States contributing to enlargement fatigue economic crisis; none adherence to the EU rule of law; and the scapegoating of migratory citizens by some Member States. He referred to the role of parliamentarians to sell the benefits of continued enlargement of EU citizens. (Reference minutes pages 18-25 for the full debate on this item LII COSAC - Minutes) 11. Democratic control of European Agencies (Senator Aideen Hayden) This debate heard 9 contributions from the floor on this issue. Senator Aideen Hayden spoke on this issue on behalf of the Irish delegation. She welcomed 5
opportunity to debate this in view of the collective budget for EU agencies and the power vested in European agencies and the perceived lack of democratic control of these bodies. Transparency and accountability within this sector is of paramount importance and should concern all Member States. It is the view of the Irish delegation that the role of national parliaments is not recognised under existing arrangements, as was evidenced in the case established of the European Public Prosecutor s Office. Ireland submitted a Reasoned Opinion on this proposal to the EU Commission under Protocol 5 of the Treaty, as the case justifying the need for this office was not made, in Ireland s opinion. The EU Commission did not adequately consider the option of strengthening existing or alternative mechanism in the first instance. (Reference minutes pages 25-29 for the full debate on this item LII COSAC - Minutes). 12. Adoption of the Contribution and Conclusions of the LII COSAC The COSAC Contribution was agreed, without further amendment and adopted accordingly. The Conclusions of COSAC was also adopted, without amendment. Dominic Hannigan T.D. Chairman 29 January 2015 6
ANNEX 1 Bilateral Meeting between Irish Delegation and First Vice- President of the EU Commission, Mr. Frans Timmermans 1 December 2014 Representing the Houses of the Oireachtas: Deputy Dominic Hannigan Chairman, Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, Mr. Derek Dignam, Oireachtas Permanent Rep. In Brussels, Ms. Bríd Dunne, Clerk of the Committee. Following introductions, the informal discussion focused on how the new EU Commission can interact more effectively with national parliaments and the wishes on national parliaments in that regard. First Vice-President Timmermans began by referring to the need for a cultural change within the EU Commission itself, in order that it fulfil the role envisaged for it in the Treaties. On a more basic level, change is needed to effectively prevent the EU Commission from becoming little more than a secretariat for the other EU Institutions. The limited role of the EU Commission in the crisis management in 2008 was cited in that regard. He himself is a strong believer and supporter of the role of national parliaments in the Europe context. Changes, however, he believed would have to take place within the current Treaties arrangements. He also believes that current arrangements providing for national parliaments need to be taken more seriously by the EU Commission and exploited more by national parliaments. He would like to see more direct interaction between EU Commissioners and national parliaments, particularly on a sectoral basis. EU Commissioners should be able to attend and respond to Reasoned Opinions by national Parliaments and explain fully their positions. He referred to the handling by the EU Commission of EPPO proposal (, where the EU Commission should have engaged and had direct dialogue with the national parliaments in views of the number of issues the proposal raised in Member States. Effectively, more and better interaction is needed between the EU Commission and national parliaments. Mr. Dominic Hannigan welcomed the opportunity to meet with First Vice- President Timmermans and went on to outline the views of the Irish Parliament regarding the new role of national parliaments in European Affairs. He referred to the need to re-dress the imbalance between role of the European Parliament and national parliaments. 7
This needs to be achieved without impinging on the role of the European Parliament where co-operation can be worked on between the parties themselves. He referred to different suggestions put forward to increase national parliament s engagement with the EU Commission, including the possibility for: A one-day conference organised by the EU Commission and the national parliaments to discuss topical issues Greater involvement in the development of EU Commission Work Programme; the EU Commissions letter of intent on the planning of its legislature programme should be sent to Speakers of national Parliaments simultaneously with the other EU institutions. First Vice-President Timmermans appeared receptive to these suggestions. The meeting ended as news that the Italian Prime Minister was addressing the conference. Bríd Dunne Clerk to the Committee 1 December 2014 8
ANNEX 2 Extract from FINAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE LII COSAC Rome, 30 November - 2 December 2014 1. Mid-term review of Europe 2020 Strategy 1.1. COSAC views the mid-term review of Europe 2020 Strategy as a key step towards supporting recovery from the economic and financial crisis and making full use of the European economies' potential for growth and employment by restoring the confidence of EU citizens and businesses as well as that of markets. 1.2. Taking into account the progress achieved on the implementation of Europe 2020 goals, COSAC is of the opinion that a renewed Europe 2020 Strategy should pursue the following objectives: a) contribute to ensure a better alignment of the real and financial economies; b) strengthen the goals on employment, poverty and social exclusion and take urgent additional measures in these fields, taking into account that the implementation has been so far largely unsatisfactory; c) use social indicators, as set out in the Alert Mechanism Report, to monitor negative social outcome and to promote positive measures on poverty, equality and social inclusion; d) improve the governance of Europe 2020 with the aim of better coordinating the goals and targets of the EU growth strategy within the European Semester and of achieving a better balance between fiscal constraints and the growth and competitiveness agenda, regarding targets, guidelines, initiatives and country specific recommendations. To that end, the Single Market and Industrial Competitiveness priorities should be integrated within the European Semester; e) develop, where feasible, additional indicators with a qualitative dimension rather than the current one dimensional numerical targets, e.g. a "job quality" indicator which would help to identify the numbers of the working poor; f) move away from a one size fits all approach in achieving targets and addressing regional disparities between, and within Member States, which is vital in order to prevent growing regional inequalities; g) improving the ownership of Europe 2020, at regional level, by strengthening its region-oriented dimension. h) recognise that Member States will fail to deliver the strategy targets if implementation is centre driven with a top-down and non-inclusive approach and that this is a weakness of the Strategy. 9