Brussels, 12/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for interinstitutional relations, announced to COSAC presidents (conference of bodies specialised in EU affairs in EU Member State parliaments) on 11 September at their meeting in Helsinki that the Commission will henceforth forward its documents to national parliaments directly, as she had promised on 10 May this year (EUROPE 9189). “Taking greater account of the opinions of national parliaments means taking more account of European citizens”, Ms Wallström says in a press release, specifying that this innovation in no way changes existing legislative procedures and that the Council and European Parliament will be informed of Commission exchanges with national parliaments. The press release states that documents will be forwarded by electronic means and that a special internal procedure has been set in place under Ms Wallström's authority to deal with the opinions of national parliaments.