For the second consecutive year, the European parliament organizes a meeting with national parliaments of EU in Brussels dedicated to the European semester for economic policy coordination.
Participants of the forum were members of EU, and the Council of EU and the European Commission, represented by Mr Herman van Rompuy and Mr Manuel Barroso respectively, the European Commissioner responsible for regional policy, financial planning and budget, economic and monetary affairs and employment, and EP Committees’ members from the economic ECON, budget BUDG and employment and social affairs EMPL.
The main topic of the two days presentations and discussions was the economic situation in the EU. In particular – the annual review of growth for 2012, which the European commission launched during the Second semester for economic policy coordination in the EU.
The emphasis was also placed on the completion of the agreed late last year a package of six legislative measures for the management of economic policies and the new proposed packages for additional measures. At the centre of today’s debate was the new Treaty for stability, coordination and management in the Economic and Monetary Union and the actions needed to be taken from this moment onwards by national parliaments.
Mr Valentin Nikolov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic policy, Energy and Tourism in the National Assembly of Bulgaria and member of the Bulgarian delegation, made a statement in which he said that the National Assembly has given its consent on the new fiscal treaty under one condition – the treaty should not lead to harmonization of the common tax policy, because it could lead to loss of competitiveness of Bulgarian market.
“One of our main trading partners, Greece, is in recession. This reflects negatively on our country. I would like to ask – would it not be better beside the mechanism that sanctions undisciplined countries, to seek ways to stimulate member states with excellent track record and which respect the financial discipline and are example for other countries in the region. According to Bulgaria, such measures would give good results” said the Bulgarian MP from the political party GERB. He asked the question what would happen if the national parliament rejects the recommendations made by the European Commission?

Mr Van Rompuy was very clear to the participants – all have to treat European issues as their own internal matters. Only the synergies and commitments of member states will ensure the speedy exit of the current stagnated situation. Mr Manuel Barroso urged MEPs and national MPs to foster dialogue among each other.

Ms Monika Panayotova, Chairwoman of the Committee on European Affairs and Oversight of European Funds, who took part in the inter-parliamentary meeting, made the following comment on the forum: “After the Lisbon Treaty, the format of such meetings fosters deeper interactions between national and European parliaments.”
The discussion on financial discipline, a new financial agreement and the ability to generate growth and employment, focusing on the youth is crucial to the forthcoming meeting of the Head of States who will sign the new Treaty on stability, coordination and governance in the Economic and Monetary Union. Moreover, it is very important for the next year budget preparation of Member States, given that national parliaments have the final say on the budget of each country and are key guarantor for the financial and fiscal discipline.
The delegation of the National Assembly also included Ms Svetlana Angelova, Mr Plamen Oresharski, Mr Ivan Kolev and Mr Mithat Metin.