Brussels, 07/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, has written to the President of the European Council, José Maria Aznar, (and to the President of the Commission Romano Prodi) thanking him for his participation in the inaugural session of the Convention on the Future of Europe and the meeting they had beforehand with Romano Prodi, which touched on issues of interinstitutional co-operation. "I think that periodic meeting like this, between the Presidents of the European Council, Parliament and the Commission,
perhaps, as in this case, before European council meetings, can give extra impetus to the indispensable co-operation between our institutions", stated Pat Cox in a letter to the Spanish Prime Minister. Before participating in the preparations for the opening of the Barcelona Summit, he indicated that he was, "looking for the most productive means of using the encounter between members of the European Council and the President of Parliament, so that the is constructive engagement on priority points of importance to the Parliament and to the Presidency".
Mr Cox also said that like Mr Aznar, he believed that, "this co-operation should be thoroughly prepared" and welcomed the, "conclusion that the Permanent Representative of the country holding the Presidency, together with the Secretaries General of the Commission, Council and Parliament, along with the Heads of Cabinet of the Presidents of the Institutions and Representatives of the Political Groups".
In his letter, the President of the Parliament raised the following issues: Transparency - Mr Cox intends to organise the first meeting of the Interinstitutional Committee, set up by the Regulation of 30 May 2001 on public access to documents. This will occur during the plenary of the first week in Strasbourg with the participation of the President of the Council, Josep Piqué, European Commissioner, Michel Barnier and EP Vice President Charlotte Cederschiöld; Better Regulation - Mr Cox indicated that they were awaiting a Commission action plan on setting up a structure -at a political level - for intensive interinstitutional dialogue on these issues; EP information on CFSP, Justice and Home Affairs. Mr Cox welcomed Mr Aznar's willingness to strive to reach a conclusion on this point and proposed that Elmar Brok, President of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee rapidly make contact with Ramon de Miguel, Secretary of State for the Spanish Presidency, to discuss the subject.