The debate about the Constitutional Treaty was introduced by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkelīs speech on the Future of Europe which focussed on constitutional issues, the role of the EU in climate protection and the Eastern dimension of the EU. She also made clear, for the first time publicly, that the German presidency hoped for the European Council Meeting in June 2007 to agree not only on a roadmap but also on the main features of a solution of the current institutional impasse.
COSAC welcomed the idea of convening an intergovernmental conference in the second half of 2007 and stressed that national Parliaments and the European Parliament should be kept fully involved in its work. Any institutional settlement should strongly respect the substance and objectives of the Constitutional Treaty and take into account the important role of national Parliaments in the European policy formulation process. The future role of national Parliaments must be at least equally as strong as foreseen in the Constitutional Treaty.
Annual Policy Strategy and Legislative and Work Programme
For the first time in the framework of COSAC, a debate on the Commission's Annual Policy Strategy for 2008 was held. The aim was to raise awareness for the importance of the document in the EU policy formulation process. COSAC called on the Commission to duly take into account Parliaments' statements on the Annual Policy Strategy when formulating its Legislative and Work Programme for 2008.
Subsidiarity checks by national Parliaments
Following a thorough evaluation of the subsidiarity and proportionality checks organised by COSAC in the past, the conference decided to continue with this exercise. At least two EU proposals from the Commission's Legislative and Work Programme will be scrutinized per year. Incoming presidencies were encouraged to hold a debate on subsidiarity and proportionality aiming at a better understanding of the two principles as well as of the procedure to be followed between Parliaments and the European institutions.
Direct transmission of Commission documents to national Parliaments
The Commission's initiative, begun in September 2006, to directly transfer its documents to national Parliaments for comments was assessed as an added value. COSAC made clear that the Commission should submit its answers to Parliaments within two months and visibly react where a significant number of Parliaments raise concerns over a specific proposal. COSAC called on National Parliaments and the Commission to upload their statements and correspondence on the IPEX website.
The functioning of COSAC
A political consensus was reached on a presidency draft for the inclusion of a COSAC Secretariat and its permanent Member in the COSAC Rules of Procedure. A great number of parliaments expressed their willingness to contribute to the co-financing of the COSAC Secretariat.