Brussels, 20/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - German Social-Democrat Christa Randzio-Plath, chair of the EP's Economic and Monetary Committee, in an oral question, asked whether the EU Council was prepared to open talks with Parliament and the Commission to conclude an inter-institutional agreement on the new rules over securities.
In her question, Ms. Randzio-Plath confirms Parliament's bemusement over the "European Securities Committee", that will assist the Council (see EUROPE of 16 February, p.7, for the Lamfalussy Report), and calls on the Council to ensure that the new Committee "will not intervene to substantially amend or block the implementation measures proposed by the Commission". Is the Council prepared to make a political undertaking to "speed-up its own procedures and act much more transparently in this important field?", asks Randzio-Plath. She then insists: "Can the Council explain how it intends guaranteeing the symmetry of powers of co-decision of the two legislative pillars of the co-decision procedure, and how it intends ensuring a high-level of transparency of the Securities Committee that is being proposed, in the interest of democracy, consumer protection and the interests of industry."