Press release, 12 March 2013

“Non-Euro area Member States and the Presidency Parliaments should not be left behind in the debate on the EU’s economic and monetary union", said Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas and Chair of the Committee on European Affairs, in his opening address at the meeting of Chairmen of Committees on European Affairs of national Parliaments and representatives of the European Parliament in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 11 March 2013.

This was Mr Kirkilas’ reaction to the proposal from the French National Assembly to set up a conference to discuss issues related to the EU’s economic and monetary union and establish, in the framework of the conference, a special committee made up of representatives of the national Parliaments of countries in the euro area and the European Parliament. The French proposal relates to the implementation of Article 13 of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (the so-called Fiscal Compact). The article highlights the need to enhance the role of the legislative bodies of the Member States and the EU in decision-making on EU level as regards economic coordination and management in the EU.

Kirkilas believes that the proposals concerning the implementation of Article 13 of the Treaty are welcome. However, the Parliaments of non-euro area EU Member States as well as the Parliaments of the Presidency of the Council of the EU should not be denied the opportunity to participate in the debate on the EU budget, decision-making on the economic and monetary union, and implementation of the of EU’s fiscal stability instruments.

He also emphasized the importance of political integration and democratisation to the EU governance, saying that “any financial, budgetary and economic integration of the EU Member States is impossible without political integration. The latter is necessary for the Union to be effective and to ensure more democratic governance in Europe. This requires the strengthening of cooperation between the national Parliaments and a stronger role for the European Parliament in the EU’s economic coordination.”

The informal meeting in Copenhagen focused on cooperation between parliaments of the EU Member States and greater influence of the European Parliament aimed at achieving better integrated EU’s financial, budgetary and economic policies streamlined to increase democratic legitimacy and accountability.

Gediminas Kirkilas, Chair of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs and his counterparts, including Dominic Hannigan (Ireland) and Ben Fayot (Luxembourg) delivered welcome speeches to the participants of the Roundtable Discussion in Copenhagen.

Morta Vidūnaitė, Adviser to Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, tel: +370 5 239 6278, e-mail: [email protected]