EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

Europaudvalget 2022-23 (2. samling)
EUU Alm.del Bilag 766
Offentligt

MINUTES OF THE M

EETING OF THE

HAIRPERSONS

OF COSAC

ADRID

, S

PAIN

, 17-18 S

EPTEMBER

2023

AGENDA

PROCEEDINGS

1. Opening of the meeting

Opening remarks by Mr José Ignacio LANDALUCE CALLEJA, Member of the

Spanish

Senado

Welcome speech by Ms Francina ARMENGOL SOCÍAS, Speaker of the Spanish

Congreso de los Diputados

Welcome speech by Mr Pedro ROLLÁN OJEDA, Speaker of the Spanish

Senado

2. Procedural and other general matters

Presentation of the results of the COSAC Presidential Troika Meeting

Draft programme for the LXX COSAC Meeting

Outline of the 40th Bi-annual Report of COSAC

Appointment of the Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat for the period

2024/25

Letters received by the Presidency

Any other business

3. First session - Presentation of the priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of

the EU

Keynote intervention: Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and

Cooperation, Mr José Manuel ALBARES BUENO

First intervention: Mr Othmar KARAS,

First Vice-president of the European Parliament

4. Second Session - The future of Ukraine in Europe

Chaired by Mr José Ignacio Landaluce Calleja, Member of the Spanish

Senado

Intervention by the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into

the European Union, Ukraine

Verkhovna Rada,

Ms Ivanna KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE

Intervention by the Chairperson of the Committee on European Union Affairs of the

Swedish

Riksdag,

Mr Hans WALLMARK

5. Third Session - Current issues related to the European Union

6. Closing Session

Address by Ms Susana SUMELZO JORDÁN, Member of the Spanish

Congreso de los

Diputados

Address by Mr Pedro ROLLÁN OJEDA, Speaker of the Spanish

Senado

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

PROCEEDINGS

IN THE CHAIR: Mr José Ignacio LANDALUCE CALLEJA, Member of the Spanish

Senado,

and Ms Susana SUMELZO JORDÁN, Member of the Spanish

Congreso de los

Diputados.

1. O

PENING OF THE MEETING

Opening remarks by Mr José Ignacio LANDALUCE CALLEJA, Member of the

Spanish Senado

Mr LANDALUCE CALLEJA welcomed the guests to Madrid and to one of the very

first initiatives of the parliamentary dimension of the Spanish Presidency of the Council

of the European Union (EU), after the organisation of the Global Conference on the

Commemoration of the International Day of Parliamentarism, held in Léon, on June 30

– July 1. He also recalled the fact that the idea of establishing COSAC as a forum for

interparliamentary cooperation was first conceived in Madrid, during the Conference of

Speakers of the EU Parliaments held in this city in May 1989, with the aim of

strengthening the role of national Parliaments in the EU. This had triggered the

institutional developments that later led to the enshrining of this Conference in the

Treaties of the European Union.

Mr LANDALUCE CALLEJA considered that the EU was living in a challenging and

historic time which could not be dealt with lightly, and that therefore the EU should

strengthen its values.

He then expressed the wish that the COSAC proceedings during the current semester

could help foster the spirit of solidarity and cooperation amongst Member States and

Parliaments, so that the EU could remain united and strive for peace and prosperity.

Welcome speech by Ms Francina ARMENGOL SOCÍAS, Speaker of the Spanish

Congreso de los Diputados

The Speaker of the

Congreso de los Diputados

started by recalling that 2023 marked

Spain's fifth presidency of the Council of the European Union, the first having taken

place in 1989 and the last in 2010. She then recalled that the past ten years had seen

numerous changes, such as the economic crisis, the United Kingdom's exit from the

European Union, the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a war on

European soil and the climate emergency. She noted that, despite these changes, the

Union had been seen as an unshakable organisation, although many challenges were still

present.

Ms ARMENGOL SOCÍAS then listed the priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the

Council of the EU, the first being the reindustrialisation of Europe to guarantee open

strategic autonomy of the Union; secondly, the Russian invasion of Ukraine; thirdly, the

economic recovery based on ecological transition; and fourthly, the consolidation of

European values based on the guarantee of social and economic justice for citizens.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

Finally, she referred to the initiative taken by the the First Vice-President of the

European Parliament, Mr Othmar KARAS, to develop a “Charter on the role of

parliamentarism in a functioning liberal democracy” , which was expected to be

approved during the Conference of Speakers of EU Parliaments due to be held in April

2024, under Spanish Presidency.

Welcome speech by Mr Pedro ROLLÁN OJEDA, Speaker of the Spanish

Senado

The Speaker of the Spanish

Senado

welcomed the participants to this Chamber, which

ensured the territorial representation of the

Cortes Generales

of the Kingdom of Spain.

He also reiterated that it was in Madrid that COSAC was conceived in 1989, when

Spain was still a new member of what was then called the European Communities.

Mr ROLLÁN OJEDA noted that Europe had come a long way in its process of political

construction since then, following a path which had never been easy, but which had

been worthy. In that context, he recalled that great progress had been made in terms of

the active participation of the national Parliaments and of the European Parliament in

defining the main lines of the Union's various policies. Mr ROLLÁN OJEDA

considered that parliamentary democracy was the identifying feature that best defined

all the countries of the Union, since it was at the very heart of its origin and was also

key to its future.

He further considered that, back in 1989, the birth of COSAC was a milestone for the

deployment of interparliamentary cooperation and that, since then, the mechanisms of

exchange between the national Parliaments of the EU had expanded in scope,

complexity and effectiveness. He noted that COSAC had maintained its pre-eminence in

this field by virtue of its cross-cutting nature, which had always facilitated its

participation in the debate on the main political and institutional issues on the EU

agenda.

Mr ROLLÁN OJEDA then mentioned that Europe was currently facing enormous

challenges, uncertainties and tensions, considering that the parliamentary perspective

should play a role in defining the direction Europe should take in defence of its shared

values and interests.

Therefore, he underlined the importance of the meeting of the COSAC Chairpersons

and the preparatory work in relation to the next COSAC Plenary, scheduled for

November, in order to fulfil the expectations from all the citizens of the EU towards

their political representatives.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

2. P

ROCEDURAL AND OTHER GENERAL MATTERS

Ms Susana SUMELZO JORDÁN, Member of the Spanish

Congreso de los Diputados,

began by welcoming delegates attending the Meeting of the Chairpersons of COSAC for

the first time: Ms Judit VARGA, Chair of the Committee on European Affairs of the

Hungarian

Országgyűlés,

Mr Ioannis PLAKIOTAKIS First Vice President of the Greek

Vouli ton Ellinon

and Chair of the EU Affairs Committee, Mr Calogero PISANO, Chair

of the EU Policies Committee of the Italian

Camera dei deputati,

Mr Heikki AUTTO,

Chair of the Grand Committee of the Finnish

Eduskunta

and Mr Bastiaan VAN

APELDOORN, Chair of the Committee on European Affairs of the Dutch

Eerste

Kamer.

Presentation of the results of the COSAC Presidential Troika Meeting

After the adoption of the agenda of the Meeting of the COSAC Chairpersons, Ms

SUMELZO JORDÁN informed the delegations about the results of the Meeting of the

COSAC Presidential Troika, noting the approval of the agenda of the Meeting of the

COSAC Chairpersons, the approval of the outline of the 40th Bi-annual Report of

COSAC, and the approval of the draft agenda of the LXX COSAC.

She made a few clarifications, alluding to the need of adapting the initial agendas in the

wake of the changes in the political situation in Spain, following the holding of early

general elections on 23 July. This circumstance had posed an unforeseen obstacle to the

parliamentary dimension of the Spanish Presidency of COSAC, since this meeting had

to be organised without a full-fledged Joint Committee for European Union Affairs of

the Spanish

Cortes Generales.

In this situation, it was considered appropriate to replace a debate on a specific topic

with a topical debate on European Union issues at the meeting of the COSAC

Chairpersons, as was done under the German Presidency at the virtual COSAC on 30

November 2020. This topical session (Session III of the agenda) would allow more

speaking time for parliamentarians to express their views on the topics they considered

most relevant to the European Union, both on current issues, as well as a follow-up to

the State of the Union address by the President of the European Commission, Ms Ursula

VON DER LEYEN, delivered on 13 September 2023 in the Plenary Session of the

European Parliament, in Strasbourg.

She further noted that, in view of the diversity of topics that might be dealt with at this

session, and in order to structure the debate, the Troika had agreed to add an

introductory remark by the Presidency, as well as a final summary of the debate.

Draft programme for the LXX COSAC Meeting

Ms SUMELZO JORDÁN then referred to the draft agenda of the LXX COSAC Plenary

scheduled for 26 to 28 November 2023, in Madrid. She further clarified that, once the

Joint Committee for European Union Affairs would be established, some adjustments to

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

the draft programme could occur, which would in any case be communicated in a timely

manner.

The draft programme circulated was composed of five thematic sessions which would

be covered during the LXX COSAC: the first session would be dedicated to a review of

the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU; the second session would discuss the

Pact on Migration and Asylum of the EU; the third session would cover the energy crisis

and the green transition; the fourth session would focus on the situation in Ukraine and

relations with the European Union; and the fifth and final session would deal with open

strategic autonomy and relations with Latin America.

Outline of the 40th Bi-annual Report of COSAC

Ms SUMELZO JORDÁN presented the outline of the 40th Bi-annual Report of

COSAC, which would be divided into three parts: the first chapter would be dedicated

to the role of Parliaments in relation to the European goal of open strategic autonomy;

the second chapter would focus on the role of Parliaments in handling the energy

policies: renewable sources of energy; and, finally, the third chapter would look at the

role of the Parliaments when confronted with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The questionnaire would be sent to the delegations on 20 September 2023, with replies

expected by 20 October 2023, so that the Bi-annual Report for the scheduled COSAC

plenary in November could be drawn up on time, and be presented by the Permanent

Member of the COSAC Secretariat at the LXX COSAC.

Appointment of the Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat for the period

2024/25

On the appointment of the Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat, the Chair

referred to Rule 9.3 of the Rules of Procedure of COSAC and said that the term of office

of the current Permanent Member, Mr Bruno DIAS PINHEIRO would expire on 31

December 2023 and that the appointment for the period of 2024/25 would be made by

the COSAC Chairpersons at the LXX Meeting, in November.

Ms SUMELZO JORDÁN informed the Chairpersons that the proposal of the Spanish

Presidency and of the Troika would be as follows: having regard to the letter of support

for Mr DIAS PINHEIRO sent by the Portuguese

Assembleia da República

to the

incoming Spanish Presidency in May 2023, and the current smooth and good

functioning of the COSAC Secretariat, the Presidency proposed to support the

continuity of the above-mentioned candidate. Simultaneously, and as a matter of

transparency, the Presidency would inform all the Chairpersons of this procedure and of

this support, giving delegations until 5 November 2023 to convey to the Presidency any

comments deemed relevant with this regard, so that the decision could be taken at the

LXX COSAC, to be held from 26 to 28 November 2023.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

In relation to the co-financing of the cost for seconding the Permanent Member of the

COSAC Secretariat and other technical costs, foreseen by Article 9.5 of the Rules of

Procedure of COSAC, Ms SUMELZO JORDÁN recalled that under the previous

Swedish Presidency, all Parliaments had agreed to continue with the co-financing for the

period 2024-25.

Letters received by the Presidency

Ms SUMELZO JORDÁN referred to the following letters received by the Presidency

requesting invitations to attend the COSAC meetings:

Ms Benedikt WÜRTH, President of the Swiss delegation for relations with the

European Parliament, Swiss

Assemblée fédérale;

Mr Masud GHARAHKHANI, President of the Norwegian

Stortinget;

Lord Peter RICKETTS, Chair of the European Union Committee, UK

House of

Lords;

Mr Bjarni JÓNSSON, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of

the Icelandic

Althingi;

Ms Maka BOTCHORISHVILI, Chair of the Committee on European Integration

of the Georgian

Sakartvelos p'arlament'I;

Ms Rrezarta KRASNIQI, Chair of the Committee on European Integration,

Kosovo

Kuvendi i Kosovës.

Ms Brigitte BOCCONE-PAGES, President of the Monaco

Conseil national,

and

Mr Régis BERGONZI, National Councillor, President of the Commission for

monitoring the negotiations with the European Union.

Ms SUMELZO JORDÁN informed that, following consultation with the Presidential

Troika of COSAC, invitations had been extended to all the above-mentioned

Parliaments to take part in the forthcoming Meeting of Chairpersons of COSAC, and

they would also be invited to the LXX COSAC in November.

Any other business

There was no other business.

This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244(1999) and

the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

3. F

IRST SESSION

- P

RESENTATION OF

RESIDENCY OF THE

OUNCIL OF THE

THE PRIORITIES OF THE

PANISH

Keynote intervention: Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and

Cooperation, Mr José Manuel ALBARES BUENO

This session was chaired by the Speaker of the Spanish

Senado,

Mr Pedro ROLLÁN

OJEDA, and moderated by Ms SUMELZO JORDÁN. The keynote intervention was

presented by the acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation

of Spain, Mr José Manuel ALBARES BUENO. The Minister began by recalling the

special meaning COSAC had for Madrid, the city where this Conference was

established back in 1989. Thirty-four years later, COSAC came back to Madrid in

exceptional times, during the Spanish Presidency and with national Parliaments playing

an essential role in building Europe. First and foremost, he underlined the importance

which the Spanish Presidency would give to the unjust invasion of Ukraine, adding that

more than 400 meetings would be organised during this semester, at all levels of the

Council.

As a first priority, Minister ALBARES BUENO mentioned the reindustrialisation of the

EU, as means to achieve the open strategic autonomy of Europe. In this context, he

referred to the Critical Raw Materials Act, the legislation on the regulation of artificial

intelligence or the meetings of the European Political Community. He emphasised the

importance of the EU´s relation with Latin America, as put forward during the

EU-CELAC summit, that took place in Madrid in July 2023, stressing the need to hold

this summit on a biannual basis.

The second priority mentioned by the Minister was the green transition, and the need to

curb the effects of climate change, which could be seen as an opportunity to create jobs,

namely through the pending legislative files of the Fit for 55-package.

The third priority would be social and economic justice, as Europe’s future was linked

to the prosperity of all its citizens. In order to achieve this goal, files such as the

Multiannual Financial Framework and the reform of the economic governance rules

would be needed. Equal treatment, between men and women, but also the protection of

citizens with disabilities and the achievement of a common space for mobility in

Europe, should also be deemed essential.

The fourth priority would be upholding European unity, as a prerequisite to enable all

other policies. European unity was threatened by increased geopolitical tensions that

affected the European identifying traits, as European values were attacked from the

outside. In this line, a true European horizon should be offered to candidate countries,

and a more efficient management of migration should be achieved. All efforts would be

made during the Spanish Presidency in order to achieve those objectives.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

First intervention: Mr Othmar KARAS, First Vice-president of the European

Parliament

Mr KARAS recalled the critical moment Europe was living in, facing multiple crises,

less than 200 days before the European elections in June 2024. He urged the Spanish

Presidency to finalise as many open files as possible, e.g. the Pact on Migration and

Asylum, the regulation of artificial intelligence, the economic governance review and

the Fit for 55-package. A special mention was devoted to the Common Foreign and

Security Policy (CFSP) and the need for Europe to stand united in the world, especially

in the face of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Mr KARAS briefly mentioned his

proposal of a “Charter on the role of parliamentarism in a functioning liberal

democracy”, presented during the Conference on Parliamentarism, held in León on 30

June 2023, and likely to be approved at the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of

the EU to be held in Spain in April 2024.

During the ensuing debate, 30 speakers asked for the floor, and there was a general

support for the priorities of the Spanish Presidency, with different files being mentioned

by a number of speakers.

The 30th anniversary of the

single market

in 2023 was highlighted by Mr Hans

WALLMARK, Swedish

Riksdag,

who stressed the need of adapting the single market to

the current challenges, after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of

Ukraine. Mr Luís CAPOULAS SANTOS, Portuguese

Assembleia da República,

considered that the priorities of the Presidency were aligned with the challenges Europe

was facing. However, he noted that they did not address the establishment of a

permanent financial mechanism to deal with crises and the creation of new own

resources for the EU, proposals which Portugal has been advocating for.

In relation to the

enlargement of the EU,

which was mentioned by a large number of

speakers, specific proposals were made, like the need to avoid creating two categories of

candidate countries, as mentioned by Mr Christian BUCHMANN, Austrian

Bundesrat,

or to avoid applying fast-track procedures to specific candidate countries, as referred to

by Ms Judit VARGA, Hungarian

Országgyűlés.

The

Pact on Migration and Asylum

was another topic that was mentioned by a large

number of speakers, who called for EU cooperation as the only way to prevent deaths in

the Mediterranean, as done by Mr Pieyre Alexandre ANGLADE, French

Assemblée

nationale.

The need to avoid the use of migration policies as leverage in negotiations

that aim to achieve greater political influence was also mentioned by Mr Ioannis

PLAKIOTAKIS,

Greek Vouli ton Ellinon.

Three key principles were referred to by Mr

Giuliomaria TERZI DI SANT´AGATA, Italian

Senato della Repubblica,

who

considered that solidarity, responsibility and cohesiveness must be fully implemented in

the migration policies, offering concrete measures to deal with this emergency,

specifically in relation to Lampedusa and its critical situation in the days before the

COSAC Chairs meeting.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

The

accession of both Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen

area was strongly

advocated by representatives of the national Parliaments of both countries, Mr Kiril

PETKOV, Bulgarian

Narodno sabranie

and Mr Stefan MUȘOIU, Romanian

Camera

Deputaţilor.

The opportunity and possible outcome of

the relations of the EU with Türkiye

were

mentioned, from opposite perspectives, by the national parliamentarians of Cyprus, Mr

Harris GEORGIADES, Cypriot

Vouli ton Antiproposon

and of Türkiye, Mr Burhan

KAYATÜRK, Türkiye

Büyük Millet Meclisi.

In his replies, Minister ALBARES BUENO expressed his appreciation for the vitality of

COSAC debates, and focused on those topics that had been repeatedly mentioned during

the discussion. In relation to enlargement, he confirmed that the Spanish Presidency was

ready to advance as much as possible, and stressed the merit-based procedure that

should be applied in all cases, as well as the heroic situation in which Ukraine had

undertaken this path. As to the migration policies, the Minister underlined the need for a

European and solidarity-based solution to the crisis. Regarding Ukraine, he recalled that

the abolition of war in Europe was at the heart of the European project since its

conception, and that its core principles had been utterly challenged by the Russian

aggression. In relation to the ecological transition, he defended the promotion of

renewable sources of energy, and expressed his hope that the Iberian solution could

become a European solution as well. Not without mentioning other files that were to be

dealt with during the Spanish Presidency, the Minister closed his intervention referring

to the 30th anniversary of the single market, and the idea that competitiveness should

not be incompatible with social progress, as aimed by the Spanish Presidency of the

Council.

4. S

ECOND

ESSION

- T

HE FUTURE OF

KRAINE IN

UROPE

Chaired by Mr José Ignacio Landaluce Calleja, Member of the Spanish

Senado.

Intervention by the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Ukraine’s

Integration into the European Union, Ukraine

Verkhovna Rada,

Ms Ivanna

KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE

In her introduction, Ms KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE expressed her gratitude to the

Parliamentary Dimension of the Spanish Presidency for putting Ukraine’s future in

Europe and the European Union on the agenda. She also thanked all the

parliamentarians for the humanitarian, financial, and military support their countries had

provided since the beginning of the war.

She then referred to reports in international media on the ongoing war in Ukraine,

noting the fact that many media outlets used the date of the full-scale invasion of

Ukraine in February 2022 as a starting point to count the days of the war gave a false

image. In reality, she claimed that the war had started more than nine years ago with

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

Russia’s occupation of Crimea in 2014. She argued that it was important to keep in mind

that the Ukrainian people had already been fighting for their territorial integrity,

independence, and for the right to define their own future for many years.

Ms KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE recalled that the previous night was another terrible

one in Kyiv with heavy Russian air strikes. In total 18 kamikaze drones and 17 cruise

missiles were shot down by the Ukrainian defence forces with the help of advanced

military equipment provided by international partners. Despite these successful

examples of Ukrainian defence, she argued that many things were still worrying for the

future, regretting that the seemingly endless Russian military attacks did not reach the

front pages of the newspapers as frequently as before. She shared that many Ukrainians

also felt that the sense of urgency among international partners had faded. She warned

that this was not the time to rest on our laurels, and that everyone should instead ask

themselves if they have done everything in their power to help Ukraine win the war. She

emphasised that Ukraine had chosen freedom, democracy, and to return to the family of

European nations, but was currently in need of further support.

Ms KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE asked for enhanced dedication and increased support

from partners in order to achieve three different things. First, to win the war; second to

rebuild the country; and third, to reach the goal of becoming both an EU and NATO

member. This would be possible to achieve if Ukraine and the EU could stay united and

work together in this common cause, she said. The approach for stepping up help to

Ukraine should not be out of pity, but instead out of belief in common values such as the

rule of law and territorial integrity and with the conviction that dictatorship should never

be able to thrive in Europe.

Ms KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE said that while the barbaric war was taking place,

Ukraine was still working hard to become an EU member. She argued that the EU’s

decision of granting Ukraine candidate status, along with Moldova, had been a historic

one, which had also created a new internal dynamic within the EU, as it revitalised the

magnetic appeal of the success of the European project and refreshed the basic ideas

behind the EU. Moreover, it had given new energy to the Ukrainian people, she said.

Well aware of the magnitude of the task and the difficult circumstances, Ukraine had

been putting a great effort in meeting the seven criteria the EU had set up when

candidate status was granted.

Ms KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE hoped that Ukraine’s efforts to transform would be

duly recognised, and asked for political boldness from the EU and its Member States to

take the next step and open formal negotiations with Ukraine already in 2023. This

would allow Ukraine to access additional knowledge, instruments, and understanding in

order to faster transform and at the same time fight the war for its freedom and survival.

She further underlined that Ukraine’s future accession would be mutually beneficial for

the EU and its Member States, because it would make the Union stronger in many

respects.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

Intervention by the Chairperson of the Committee on European Union Affairs of

the Swedish

Riksdag,

Mr Hans WALLMARK

In his introduction Mr WALLMARK pointed out two central aspects of the current state

of affairs in Europe. First, a full-scale war had been taking place in Europe for 18

months, which should have consequences. Second, in the foreseeable time ahead,

probably decades, the EU would have to deal with a nationalistic, imperialistic, and

well-armed Russia.

He recalled the fact that the war had been going on since 2014 when Russia annexed

Crimea and attacked the eastern parts of Ukraine. Mr WALLMARK further

acknowledged the enormous human suffering in Ukraine caused by the Russian

aggression. This brutal war was something which undermined not just stability in

Europe, but also the European project and the values it represented. He argued that

Russia’s aggression was a serious attack on the rules-based international order, and

therefore was a common concern. By its brutal invasion, he noted that Russia had

denied Ukraine’s right to exist and its right to be free. The EU must therefore keep

putting pressure on Russia and Belarus, including through sanctions. He argued that the

EU should continue to stand united and support Ukraine’s economy, society, armed

forces, and future reconstruction.

Mr WALLMARK expanded on how the EU had been providing comprehensive support

to Ukraine in many different ways. He underlined the need for the EU to be persistent in

its support until Ukraine had won the war and regained full control of its territory within

its internationally recognised borders. He referred to decisions taken by the Swedish

Riksdag

on 13 separate arms packages amounting to more than two billion euros. These

decisions had been taken with support from all parties represented in the

Riksdag,

which

was a great strength.

Mr WALLMARK further stated that Ukraine’s future should be within the EU, and

acknowledged the progress Ukraine had made in implementing reforms related to the

judicial system and the media sector; and the hard work that had been done in order to

fight corruption. He further argued that the EU should continue to support Ukraine as

long as needed, and also had a responsibility to do so. With the support from the EU,

Ukraine should win the war, regain its freedom and be able to rebuild its country. He

said that long-term support and investments would pave the way for Ukraine’s future

inside the Union, and that the EU would stand with Ukraine and continue to provide

help, not only to tackle urgent needs but also with long-term support on its path to EU

membership. This was not just a collective responsibility Mr WALLMARK argued, but

also a way to assure that justice, human rights, and international law prevailed.

On a more personal note, Mr WALLMARK said in his conclusion that both Sweden and

Ukraine supported an open-door policy to NATO, and expressed his hope that the

military alliance in the near future would have more members than the current 31

member states.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

In the debate which followed, 33 speakers took the floor. There was overwhelming

solidarity with Ukraine and consensus among speakers for the need to show continuous

support in these difficult times.

Several representatives of national Parliaments, including amongst others, Mr

Pieyre-Alexandre ANGLADE, French

Assemblée nationale,

Mr Glenn BEDINGFIELD

Maltese

Kamra tad-Deputati,

and Mr Arber ADEMI, North Macedonia,

Sobranie,

reiterated their

support for granting Ukraine candidate status

and underlined that the

country’s future was within the EU. This was also highlighted by Mr Othmar KARAS,

European Parliament.

The

new dynamics to EU enlargement,

as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of

Ukraine and the new geopolitical reality in Europe, were highlighted by many

representatives of national Parliaments. Among others this was discussed by Ms Denitsa

SIMEONOVA, Bulgarian

Narodno sabranie

and Ms Elvira KOVACS, Serbia

Narodna

skupština.

The

need for the EU to reform

in order to successfully incorporate new Member States

was discussed by Mr Bastiaan VAN APELDOORN, Dutch

Eerste Kamer,

BEDINGFIELD, Maltese

Kamra tad-Deputati,

Mr Alain CADEC, French

Sénat

and Mr

Bolesław PIECHA, Polish

Sejm.

The

conditions for peace

were debated by some representatives of national

Parliaments. Ms Judit VARGA, Hungarian

Országgyűlés,

argued that only immediate

ceasefire and peace talks as soon as possible could stop further bloodshed. Several other

representatives of national Parliaments claimed that peace could only be achieved when

Ukraine had won the war, regained control of its territory and when all Russian troops

were withdrawn. This was highlighted by, amongst others, Ms Radvilė

ŪNAITĖ-MIKULĖNIENĖ, Lithuanian

Seimas,

Ms SIMEONOVA, Bulgarian

Narodno

sabranie,

Ms Zita PLEŠTINSKÁ

Slovak Národná rada,

and Mr Gaëtan VAN

GOIDSENHOVEN, Belgian

Sénat/Senaat.

Mr Hans-Peter PORTMANN, Switzerland

Assemblée fédérale

suggested Geneva as suitable place for possible future peace

negotiations.

The

need of finding ways to use frozen and immobilised Russian assets

to finance

the reconstruction of Ukraine was discussed by Mr Heiki AUTTO, Finnish

Eduskunta.

Mr Kim VALENTIN, Danish

Folketing

argued that Russia’s full-scale invasion of

Ukraine was a

threat to the European security order

and Mr Peter RICKETTS,

United Kingdom

House of Lords

considered the war in Ukraine to be the biggest

military crisis in Europe since 1945. Other aspects of the topic were also debated by

individual members of national Parliaments, e.g Ms Ine Eriksen SØREIDE, Norwegian

Stortinget

argued that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was about imperialism, and that

Russia had not changed any of its strategic goals in Ukraine since the war started.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

5. T

HIRD

ESSION

- C

URRENT ISSUES RELATED TO THE

UROPEAN

NION

Mr José Ignacio LANDALUCE CALLEJA, Spanish

Senado,

opened the session and

briefly explained that speakers could intervene on any current issues relevant to the EU.

The debate could follow-up the State of the Union address delivered by the President of

the European Commission Ms Ursula VON DER LEYEN, on 13 September 2023

during the Plenary Session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, but also include

any other topics deemed important for the European project.

Mr Gaëtan VAN GOIDSENHOVEN, Belgian

Sénat/Senaat

highlighted the

resilience

shown and the common actions adopted by the EU when faced with unexpected

crises

such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine,

emphasising the need for strategic autonomy. He also stressed the need to advance on

the large number of legislative proposals under negotiations before the European

Parliament elections in 2024.

Numerous speakers discussed

EU enlargement

against the background of growing

geopolitical challenges and divisions. Mr Luís CAPOULAS SANTOS, Portuguese

Assembleia da República,

noted that a new iron curtain between autocracies and

democracies was dividing the world, and that this made EU enlargement an unavoidable

topic, for which the EU should develop a plan and a calendar. He also called for

strengthening the role of the Parliaments of candidate countries, and proposed granting

them status as permanent observers not only in COSAC but also in the European

Parliament. Mr Bogdan KLICH, Polish

Senat,

welcomed the reference in the State of

the Union Address to a

merit-based enlargement

process. He further said that

enlargement efforts should be accompanied by EU reform and further integration,

including implementing the proposals from the Conference for the Future of Europe and

strengthening the role of the European Parliament. Mr Domagoj HAJDUKOVIĆ,

Croatian

Hrvatski sabor,

also welcomed the

renewed focus on EU enlargement,

which

should include even more countries, and stressed the need to establish partnerships with

candidate countries and not to change the criteria during the accession process. Mr

İsmail Emrah KARAYEL, Türkiye

Büyük Millet Meclisi,

welcomed that enlargement

was again on top of the EU´s agenda, but warned that it would be a big mistake if

Türkiye’s accession aspirations were left aside, and called for negotiations to be revived.

He also stressed the importance of interparliamentary cooperation but noted with regret

that the European Parliament was, in his view, becoming a forum for anti-turkish

sentiments.

Mr HAJDUKOVIĆ underlined the

growing geopolitical divisions

and the need to

strengthen the EU's cooperation and ties with friendly countries

around the world.

He noted the potential of trade agreements with democratic countries such as India,

Indonesia, Australia or even with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

regional grouping. Mr Heikki AUTTO, Finnish

Eduskunta,

echoed the need for a

strategic approach and a strong EU

that could strengthen its multilateral ties with

allies. He underlined that this should be accompanied by a deepening of the EU’s single

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

market so that all Member States, and not only big ones, could benefit from this. Mr

Stefan MUȘOIU, Romanian

Camera Deputaţilor,

stressed the need to work for a safer

and more prosperous EU. He welcomed efforts to boost the EU’s reindustrialisation, and

to reduce dependencies on foreign countries, and expressed his expectation that the

October 2023 European Council meeting on open strategic autonomy could address

these challenges.

Mr Vasile DÎNCU, Romanian

Senat,

highlighted the need to address the

EU’s

democracy crisis;

otherwise he argued, the EU could not overcome any of the other

crises the union was facing. He further noted the importance of some of the

recommendations included in the European Parliament resolution of 14 September 2023

on “Parliamentarism, European citizenship and democracy”. Mr Anton HOFREITER,

German

Bundestag,

expressed his concern with the

challenge posed by Russian

propaganda ahead of the European Parliament elections in 2024.

He called on

national Parliaments and the European Commission to do more to counter this threat.

Mr Ioannis PLAKIOTAKIS, Greek

Vouli ton Ellinon,

expressed his condolences to the

families of the five Greek humanitarian workers who died in Libya when providing

assistance in the aftermath of storm Daniel, which also affected Greece. He expressed

his concern with the

management of natural disasters

and called for more funds to be

made available for the response. Mr Franc BREZNIK, Slovenian

Državni zbor,

also

noted the growing threat posed by natural disasters, but stated that implementing the

Green Deal should be done with “green

realism”,

by adopting measures that did not

harm economic prospects. Other topics mentioned in the debate included: the challenge

posed by growing

illegal migration

in Slovakia, noted by Ms Zita PLEŠTINSKÁ,

Slovak

Národná rada,

and the burning of copies of the Coran in countries such as

Sweden, which Mr Burhan KAYATÜRK, Türkiye

Büyük Millet Meclisi,

considered to

be worrying examples of religious intolerance.

Mr LANDALUCE CALLEJA summarised the debate before closing and listed the

central issues discussed: EU enlargement, the strengthening of EU trade relations, the

challenges for European democracy, the need to respond to natural disasters, advancing

on the green transition with realism, and addressing irregular migration.

6. C

LOSING

ESSION

Address by Ms Susana SUMELZO JORDÁN, Member of the Spanish

Congreso de

los Diputados

Ms SUMELZO JORDÁN ended the proceedings and thanked all participants for the

very interesting and constructive debates. She recalled that COSAC had been

established 35 years ago, and that this framework brought more democratic legitimacy

to the EU political process. She emphasised the responsibility of parliamentarians to

work for better living conditions for EU citizens, while alluding to the key role to be

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

played by the parliamentary dimension of the Spanish Presidency of the EU Council

and, in particular, by COSAC.

She noted that the current challenges demand a strengthened interparliamentary

cooperation, and that Europe should be a place of certainty, freedom and peace, while

thanking the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the

European

Union,

the

Ukrainian

Verkhovna Rada,

Ms Ivanna

KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE for her intervention.

Address by Mr Pedro ROLLÁN OJEDA, Speaker of the Spanish

Senado

Mr ROLLÁN OJEDA, Speaker of the

Senado

made the final intervention of the

proceedings, noting that the COSAC Chairpersons had discussed several relevant topics

such as the priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council, and the main current

issues affecting the European Union, with special attention to the war in Ukraine.

He emphasised that the parliamentary dimension was essential to the European political

project, since it was based on the fundamental principles of liberal democracy, at the

heart of which were the parliaments, as the depositaries of the political representation of

citizens. For that reason, he noted that the steps towards a greater political union have

always been accompanied by a strengthening of both the European Parliament and the

interparliamentary cooperation bodies, namely COSAC.

Mr ROLLÁN OJEDA regretted that liberal and parliamentary democracy was being

challenged by illiberal and anti-parliamentary alternatives which were, in reality,

variants of authoritarianism.

He noted that 1989 was the year in which COSAC obtained its birth certificate in

Madrid, but it was also the year of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a historic event which

marked the beginning of a new era in which democracy and freedom spread throughout

the European continent.

However, Mr ROLLÁN OJEDA alluded to the old ghosts of the past that had once again

emerged from the darkness of history, noting that democracy was the most advanced

political system built by human societies, but was also highly vulnerable. In fact, he

recalled that Ukraine was forced, in the face of the Russian invasion, to fight in defence

of its sovereignty and freedom and that the Russian regime, led by Mr Vladimir PUTIN,

was seeking to impose its force on reason, based on a supremacist and aggressive

nationalism.

He alluded to the intervention by Ms KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE, which was a

testimony not rescued from the European history books of the first half of the 20th

century, but from the current days.

EUU, Alm.del - 2022-23 (2. samling) - Bilag 766: Referat af COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 17-18/9-23 i Madrid

In this context, he highlighted the firm response given from the outset by the European

Union, both through the EU institutions and its Member States, with extensive political,

economic, financial and, of course, military support for Ukraine. He emphasised that the

commitment should be as firm and lasting as the war itself and that its objective should

be the resolution of the conflict in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations

and the principles of international law. He noted that this was the position of Spain's

current acting government, but expressed his confidence that, regardless of the

composition of the next government, this position would not vary in substance.

Mr ROLLÁN OJEDA considered that this was a military aggression that concerned all

Europeans, since Russia was challenging the EU’s way of understanding the world, and

that the EU should not let its guard down in protecting Europe from the risk of

autocratic devolution.

He noted that parliamentarians bore a special responsibility with this regard, since they

had been entrusted by the citizens with their political representation. Moreover, the

principles and values that inspired the European democratic systems and the European

political project, such as the rule of law, the separation of powers, with absolute respect

for the independence of judges and courts; freedom of information; the effective

guarantee of the rights and freedoms of all citizens, must be protected.

Therefore, he advised against the risk of an excessive concentration of uncontrolled

power in the executives, emphasising that Parliaments should keep their essential role as

the centre of political debate and legislative decision-making, through a transparent and

constructive deliberative process.

Mr ROLLÁN OJEDA concluded by thanking all the participants for their work in

preparing this conference and invited them to the next COSAC plenary meeting.