Brussels, 19/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - In Brussels on Tuesday 18 March, the General Affairs Council held an informal discussion on “subsidiarity” and the reforms to be undertaken in the next few years to improve the functioning of the Commission and of the EU.
Initiated by the Netherlands, which launched this reflection in November in a manifesto from Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans, the discussion was also called for by Germany. The two ministers, Timmermans and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, signed an open letter in the press to this effect.
What do the two countries want? A Europe which is big on big issues and small on small issues (a slogan which has now been universally adopted), a reorganised Commission which, instead of having a reduced number of Commissioners, would divide them into small groups around well-identified thematic areas.
Not wanting “less Europe” but a “better Europe”, the two ministers stressed the need to increase the legitimacy of EU decision-making, particularly justifying this to the national parliaments, which should be better able to assess the action of the government being taken in Brussels. The idea is to invite the member states to formulate new political priorities for the EU in the wake of the European elections.
The Greek Presidency organised the debate, asking the ministers, amongst other things, about the functioning of the Commission and taking stock of some of its initiatives, such as the “Smart regulation agenda” or “regulatory fitness”. It also sounded the countries out on their appetite for reforms, for instance on the “red card”, which is called for by The Hague (and London), and which would allow one third of national parliaments to invalidate European legislation. In its working note, Athens commented, however, that this “red card” does not currently enjoy unanimous support, even though the consensus is forming on the need to reinforce the role of the national parliaments in the European legislative process. (SP)