EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 194: Konklusioner og bidrag fra COSAC plenarmødet 26-28/11-17 i Tallinn

Europaudvalget 2017-18
EUU Alm.del Bilag 194
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PLENARY MEETING OF THE LVIII COSAC

26–28 November 2017, Tallinn

Conclusions of the LVIII COSAC

1. 28

Bi-annual Report of COSAC

1.1. COSAC welcomes the 28

Bi-annual Report of COSAC prepared by the COSAC Secretariat and

warmly thanks the Secretariat for its excellent work. The Report provides useful information on the

future of the European Union and on bringing the EU closer to its citizens. It also explores ways to

enhance the Digital Single Market and examines the digitalisation of parliamentary procedures and

the Digital Single Market Strategy initiatives.

1.2. COSAC, inviting all Parliaments to make the outcome of the COSAC work more visible, encourages

all Parliaments to actively share examples of best practices highlighted by the Report within the

Parliament and to the wider public if possible.

2. Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat

2.1. COSAC notes that the term of office of the Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat will end

on 31 December 2017.

2.2. COSAC welcomes the decision taken by the Chairpersons of COSAC held in Tallinn on 26

November to appoint Mr Kenneth CURMI as Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat for 2018-

2019. COSAC is certain that the newly elected Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat will

successfully continue to manage the work of the COSAC Secretariat and contribute to the effective

development of the COSAC activities.

2.3. COSAC expresses its gratitude to the Maltese House of Representatives for seconding Mr Kenneth

CURMI as Permanent Member for 2018-2019.

2.4. COSAC warmly thanks Ms Christiana FRYDA, whose term of office as Permanent Member expires

on 31 December 2017, for her committed and productive work.

2.5. COSAC extends its gratitude to the European Parliament for hosting the COSAC Secretariat in

Brussels.

3. COSAC web-page and cooperation with the IPEX platform

3.1. COSAC takes note of the letter sent on 24 October 2017 by the Chair of the IPEX Board, as a

response to the letter sent on 3 October 2017 by the Estonian Presidency, which proposes

interconnecting the COSAC web-page and the IPEX platform. COSAC acknowledges that the IPEX

platform is offering the possibility to host information from the COSAC website forthwith and all the

information provided by the COSAC website after an in-depth analysis.

3.2. COSAC encourages the COSAC Secretariat and the IPEX Board to cooperate towards increasing

the interconnection between the COSAC website and the IPEX platform.

3.3. COSAC invites the IPEX Board to present, in close cooperation with the COSAC Secretariat, to the

COSAC Presidency an analysis of the possibilities and technicalities pertaining to the integration of

the COSAC website into the IPEX platform at its earliest convenience.

EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 194: Konklusioner og bidrag fra COSAC plenarmødet 26-28/11-17 i Tallinn

3.4. In addition, and in order to determine the best and most cost-efficient way forward, COSAC invites

the COSAC Secretariat to analyse and propose ways and related costs for renewing the COSAC

website at its earliest convenience.

Task Force on Subsidiarity, Proportionality and "Doing Less More Efficiently"

4.1. COSAC takes note of the letter sent on 14 November by the President of the European Commission,

which informs COSAC about the establishment of a Task Force on Subsidiarity, Proportionality and

“Doing Less More Efficiently”. COSAC acknowledges the request of the Commission to nominate

three candidates representing national Parliaments in this Task Force by the end of 2017.

4.2. COSAC regrets that the letter in question was sent at such a late stage in the preparations for the

COSAC plenary, giving national Parliaments limited time to process the request. COSAC expresses

its surprise at the size of the Task Force and the limited timeframe to present its work. National

Parliaments do not constitute a singular institution and the proposed number of representatives does

not reflect proportionality. Additionally, the Rules of Procedure of COSAC include no applicable

provisions for the appointment of a representative for an external forum.

4.3. Nevertheless, COSAC acknowledges the value of this exercise and seeing as there exists in COSAC

an established practice of consulting the Presidential Troika, COSAC therefore proposes for the

national Parliaments in the Presidential Troika to represent national Parliaments in the Task

Force. In order to have the necessary input, the Presidential Troika will take its cue from and report

to the COSAC Chairpersons.

4.4. COSAC invites the next Presidency to set up a working group under point 2.6 of the Rules of

Procedure of COSAC in order to facilitate regular and comprehensive discussions related to the

work of the Task Force.

4.5. Furthermore, COSAC believes that the Task Force should be complemented by three additional

members of national Parliaments, which are elected in an open selection process, provided that the

Commission agrees to increase the number of representatives. COSAC also believes that the

timeframe is insufficient and should be extended until the end of 2018. COSAC asks the Presidential

Troika to approach the President of the European Commission on both matters.