Brussels, 03/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - The Committee of the Regions (CoR) opened its plenary session on Wednesday 3 June with a debate on how to improve the way the EU works, revealing differing concerns among the speakers, including those from the European Parliament.
The debate was joined by three MEPs: Mercedes Bresso (S&D, Italy), Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany), joint rapporteur on improving the functioning of the European Union by using the potential of the Lisbon Treaty, and Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, Belgium), rapporteur on developments and possible changes to the current institutional structure of the European Union.
These three argued that the subsidiarity principle had to be strengthened, with better sharing of powers between the European, national and local levels. “Europe has to stop interfering in local matters”, stated Brok.
All were of the view that the democratic deficit had to be addressed, and that the Council of the EU should be a second legislative chamber and the Commission “a real government”. The three guests underlined the need to challenge this multi-speed Europe that diminishes transparency and effectiveness and that distances the institutions from citizens. Verhofstadt, however, was prepared to contemplate a two-speed Europe, made up of fully committed members on the one hand and associated members on the other.
From among the CoR members, Gamallo Aller (EPP, Spain) argued strongly that the CoR had to be built into the European institutional structure, given that, along with the Parliament, it is the only institution that has “real democratic legitimacy”. Barbara Duden (S&D, Germany) spoke against any new treaty and argued that better use had to be made of the existing legal framework and “a sound compromise between unity and diversity” found (our translation throughout). (Pascal Hansens)