The role of national Parliaments of the EU Member States in consideration of EU affairs and democratic deficit were at the focus of the meeting between members of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs and Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Inter-Institutional Relations and Administration, which took place in the Seimas on 7 July 2013.

Mr Šefčovič says he is aware of the fact that Lithuania aims at introducing the euro in 2015 and therefore realises how important it is for the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to complete the creation of the Economic and Monetary Union. He believes that the more there is economic and financial integration, the more political integration and greater involvement of national Parliaments in EU affairs is needed.

Members of the Committee on European Affairs and the Vice-President of the Commission discussed the banking union, European Semester and other matters, particularly with respect to the effects of the Treaty of Lisbon which strengthened the powers of the European Parliament and national Parliaments in considering EU affairs.

Participants of the meeting also spoke about the possibility of national Parliaments to issue a reasoned opinion on non-compliance of a draft legal act with the principle of subsidiarity. This possibility was also established in the Treaty of Lisbon.

The meeting also focused on the necessity of closer and more constructive cooperation between the European Commission and national Parliaments, as well as democratic accountability in the decision-making process, especially with respect to economic and financial issues, and in application of respective efficient measures to reduce the democratic deficit.

Mr Šefčovič underlined that while Lithuania will be holding its first ever Presidency of the Council of the EU, it will have to cope with two key tasks.  Firstly, Lithuania will hold the Presidency at the start of the implementation of the so-called ‘Two-Pack’ legislation, approved by the European Parliament in March 2013, which paves the way for stricter budgetary surveillance.

Secondly, Lithuania will also preside over the first ever Interparliamentary Conference on Economic and Financial Governance of the European Union to be held in the Seimas on 16–18 October 2013. The Conference was established pursuant to Article 13 of the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union.

Mr Šefčovič commended Lithuania in saying that it is an exceptional achievement for Lithuania to be able to move on to the stage of economic growth and restored trust by its people within just two years after the tough economic crisis which was countered by strict austerity measures. However, he said that we should not forget the social dimension at both European and national levels while making efforts to restore economic growth.

On Monday, 8 July 2013, Mr Šefčovič will take part in the Meeting of the Chairpersons of COSAC (Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union) where he will deliver a speech titled Towards a Political and Economic Union: Next Steps.

 

 

Morta Vidūnaitė, Adviser to Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6278, mob. +370 612 01121, e-mail: [email protected]