H.E. Donald Tusk
President of the European Council
June 20, 2016
On the implementation of the reforms after the referendum in the United Kingdom
Dear Mr President,
On 18–19 February 2016, Heads of State and Government agreed on a decision concerning a new
settlement for the United Kingdom within the European Union. This agreement symbolizes the
will of the European Union to stay united and to bring the EU closer to its citizens.
The set of arrangements from 18–19 February provide
inter alia
that where reasoned opinions on
the non-compliance of a proposal for a EU legislative act with the principle of subsidiarity, sent
within 12 weeks from the transmission of the draft, represent more than 55 % of the votes
allocated to the national parliaments, the Council Presidency will include the item on the agenda
of the Council for a comprehensive discussion on these opinions, and on the conclusions to be
drawn therefrom.
Following such discussions, the representatives of the Member States, acting in their capacity of
the Council, will interrupt the consideration of the draft legislative act in question unless the draft
is amended to accommodate the concerns expressed in the reasoned opinions. The European
Council agreed on a set of arrangements that are compatible with the Treaties, and on continuing
to develop the concept of the so-called ‘red card’.
Our governments have supported this idea by consensus.Strengthening the role of national
parliaments has become part of the reform package in the event of a "remain vote" in the UK
referendum. The core of the duties of national parliaments in the EU does not lie only in
transposing the EU legislation into national legislation, but also in debating openly on the EU
proposals made by the European Commission, with the ability to stop the EU level intervention
when this is unreasonable and unacceptable for the majority of our citizens. This is the duty that
our citizens expect us to carry out in the parliaments via the EU scrutiny and subsidiarity check
mechanisms.
There is no substitute for the democratic legitimacy provided by national legislatures. Should the
United Kingdom decide to remain a member of the EU, we ask for a quick implementation of the
arrangements agreed upon at the European Union Council on 18 and 19 February 2016 on
reasoned opinions issued by national parliaments in accordance with Article 7 (1) of Protocol No 2
on the application of the principle of subsidiarity.
Yours sincerely,
Svetlen Tanchev
Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of the European funds in the
Bulgarian Parliament
Mette Gjerskov
Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Denmark