IP/06/1172
Brussels, 11 September 2006
For the first time the National Parliaments will be directly informed by the European Commission about all policy initiatives Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for Institutional Relations and Communication informed today in Helsinki the Chairpersons meeting of COSAC (EU Affairs Parliamentary Committees) about the Commission’s decision to start the direct transmission of its documents to the national parliaments. The Commission thereby fulfilled its commitment announced on 10 May and subsequently endorsed by the June European Council. Commenting on the initiative, Ms Wallström said: “A greater voice for parliaments is a greater voice for Europe’s citizens. The Commission sends a signal to the national parliaments that we will inform them and we will listen to them. Their comments will be carefully considered.”
On 10 May 2006, the Commission took up a commitment to transmit its new proposals and consultation papers directly to the national parliaments, inviting them to provide their comments so as to improve the process of policy formulation.
The documents will be transmitted to the national parliaments by e-mail. A special internal procedure has been put in place for the handling of parliaments' opinions, under the authority of the Commission's Vice-President Margot Wallström, responsible for relations with the national parliaments. The procedure will guarantee that the voice of the national parliaments is heard and their contributions are taken into account in the ongoing process of assessing policy initiatives of the European Commission. This new procedure will complement the already extensive consultations the Commission undertakes. The procedure does not change the existing legislative procedures foreseen by the Treaties with rerard to the European Parlament and the Council, which will be kept informed of our correspondence with national parliaments.
