As national parliamentarians we are genuinely concerned about the future ofthe European project and deeply engaged in discussions about how to devel-op a more integrated financial, budgetary and economic union.The decisions taken during the European Semester and the disciplinescreated under the Fiscal Compact will have a real impact on the everydaylives of the Union's citizens. As a result it is self evident that greater democrat-ic control of what the European Union is engaging in is required.Despite the European Council’s recent call for increased democratic legitima-cy and accountability, there is a worrying lack of concrete proposals as to howthe role of national parliaments could be strengthened in this regard.We, as members of national parliaments and being close to our citizens, havea special role to play in establishing closer links between the citizens of ourMember States and European decision-making.For that reason a group of chairmen of the European Affairs Committees ofnational parliaments gathered in Copenhagen for an informal meeting on 11March 2013 to discuss how national parliaments could become proactiveplayers in a more integrated financial, budgetary and economic union.At our meeting we had a fruitful exchange of views on a number of concreteproposals as to how the role of national parliaments could be enhanced.Among the ideas discussed was the implementation of the interparliamentaryconference established by article 13 of the Fiscal Compact, which is on theagenda of the EU Speakers’ meeting taking place in Nicosia on 21-23 April.We the signatories of this letter have no desire to build new interparliamentarybodies. Instead, we believe that existing structures and resources should beexploited to their full potential. We therefore invite Speakers to consider thepossibility of establishing a small effective conference focused on substantialissues – to be held in the margins of the biannual COSAC-meetings – usingthe existing venue and conference facilities and existing resources.1/3

We believe the conference should be composed of representatives of thosecommittees that hold the expertise and responsibility when it comes to dealingwith financial, budgetary and economic issues in the parliaments of the 27 EUMember States, e.g., the chairmen of the European Affairs Committee andFinance Committees. However the final composition of the delegations shouldbe left for each parliament to determine. The European Parliament should berepresented at the conference on equal footing with national parliaments.Finally we would like to underline that the democratic challenge of a more in-tegrated financial, budgetary and economic union goes beyond the mattersset out in the Fiscal Compact.The “tool box of democratic legitimacy” should also contain instruments thatmight help national parliaments to turn into more proactive players in EU-decision-making - such as:a) a stronger common platform for national parliaments to coordinateviewsb) a strengthened political dialogue with the European Commission andc) the establishment of a set of key points in time at which the views ofthe national parliaments could be considered before and during theEuropean Semester thereby strengthening its legitimacy.Finally we hope you will consider our proposals and we are at your disposalfor any questions you may have.Yours sincerely

Ms. Eva Kjer Hansen,

Chairman of the European AffairsCommittee of the Danish Parlia-ment

Mr. Arto Aas,

Chairman of the European UnionAffairs Committee of the EstonianParliament

Mr. Jan Bauer,

Chairman of the EU Affairs Com-mittee of the Czech Chamber

Mr. Ľuboš Blaha

Chairman of the EU Affairs Com-mittee of the Slovak Parliament

Ms. ANCA BOAGIU,

Chairman of the European AffairsCommittee of the Romanian Se-nate

Ms. Eva Kjer Hansen,

Mr. Arto Aas,

Mr. Jan Bauer,

Mr. Ľuboš Blaha

Ms. ANCA BOAGIU,

Lord Boswell,

Mr. Ben Fayot,

Mr. Dominic Hannigan,

Mr. Richard Hörcsik,

Mr. Jozef Horvat,

Ms. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica,

Mr. Philippe MAHOUX,

Mr. Gediminas Kirkilas,

Ms. Miapetra KUMPULA-NATRI

Mr. Josef Táborský,

Mr. Allan Widman,