Newsletter 7.indd

Joint Parliamentary Meeting Grossetête said. “It is therefore in November 2008
on Energy and Sustainable the best interest of the European The EPP-ED Group participated Grossetête concluded: “Nobody on Energy and Sustainable plan to fi ght global warming and place on 20 and 21 November but we differ in the practical in the European Parliament measures this action plan should in Strasbourg. This meeting be translated into. What we all brought together Members of agree on is that we need to be the European Parliament and pragmatic and make sure we do measures to fi ght climate change and safeguard energy supplies. National Parliaments belonging Hans-Gert Poettering, President to EPP-ED sister parties. Ms of the European Parliament, Grossetête invited colleagues opened the plenary session, from the National Parliaments to announcing that the Conference voice the issues at stake in their of Presidents of the European own countries. The Polish MPs Parliament had agreed the same in particular expressed concerns morning on a new timing for practical consequences Andrej Grzyb MP (PL), Chairman Parliament, Mr Poettering said, the Szjem, said: “If we agree on on 17 December in Strasbourg, measures, we should take into ideally on the basis of an account what individual member agreement with the Council. states have already achieved The objective remains to in terms of CO2 reduction.” achieve a deal under the French Poland, he added, has achieved Presidency. Gérard Larcher, a reduction of 30% of its CO2 President of the French Senate, protocol was signed. “Economy citizens expect an answer values predictability,” Françoise from Europe with regard to the fi nancial crisis and the climate President of the European and energy challenges. “The Commission responsible for culties we encounter today Institutional Relations and fact that eight Member States Accoyer, President of the French Package for a moment, there National Assembly, reminded were already many practical participants from the National measures that could be taken Parliaments of the need of their European Commission is to sign the Energy Charter and working on, measures to its Transit Protocol. He stressed European Affairs, said he was complete the single market for dent an agreement could energy, integrating “energy be reached shortly with regard security diplomacy” in the EU’s research and development in its foreign policy.
at stake was an agreement on (eco-design) and developing the Emission Trading System. Mr technologies for energy At the opening of the plenary Jouyet reminded the audience storage to allow Member session on the second day of not to lose sight of the need for participants split up into Council Presidency has planned on climate change and energy supply should continue, despite the current fi nancial and economic turmoil: “The economic climate is fragile, but that does not alter the enormous responsibility we have towards future generations. We need a structural policy that effi ciently tackles climate change and ensures a sustainable use of our energy sources, and we need it as soon as possible. chaired the working group on By agreeing on an ambitious Europe’s energy policy and Energy and Climate Package security of supply. Mr Saryusz- ahead of the Climate Change Wolski said: “The topic of Conference in Poznan Europe energy security is closely linked to foreign policy. We cannot come to a satisfactory answer Strategic Energy Review ideas on some of the practical which was adopted last week, the European Parliament’s on in the Spring of 2007 cannot recommendations. A big be questioned. The earlier we Margot Wallström, Vice-
been so dependent on President of the European Jean-Louis Borloo, French
On 3 and 4 November the XL COSAC Meeting took place in the French Senate, Paris. Edward McMillan-Scott MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament, and Íñigo Méndez de Vigo MEP hosted the family meeting that preceded the general meeting. Mr Méndez de Vigo MEP said that COSAC should concentrate on policy issues and not on technicalities: “The people we represent would like to hear us discussing the economic and fi nancial crisis, energy supply and job creation.” French Prime Minister François Fillon addressed the participants and spoke, among other things, about the need for more regulation and more transparency in the international fi nancial system. Bernard Accoyer, President of the French General Assembly, encouraged Members of the National Parliaments not to wait until the Lisbon Treaty enters into force, to fully play their roles on the European political scene. In the conclusions of the meeting, COSAC asked the European Commission to be involved from the earliest stages onwards whenever regulation is drafted involving the activities of Eurojust or Europol and the National Parliaments. As regards the subsidiarity check, COSAC underlined that in some cases the timeframe should be more fl exible. Finally, COSAC welcomed its tenth bi-annual report, which is an important source of information on the development of

Source: http://www.epp-ed.eu/natioparl/docs/Newsletter7_en.pdf