Chairs of European Parliament Committees: Latvian Presidency is constructive and productive - Hoofdinhoud

On 28 April in Strasbourg, the Latvian Foreign Ministry's Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, met with Chairs of the European Parliament (EP) Committees to exchange opinions on what the Latvian Presidency has accomplished thus far and the work that remains to be done till the end of the term.

The Chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs, Jerzy Buzek i, rated the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council as very positive, active and cooperation-oriented. The Chairs of Parliamentary Committees also noted the good cooperation between the Latvian Presidency, and the Parliament and the Presidency's firm, while at the same time positive approach to legislative negotiations. The Parliamentary State Secretary indicated in turn: "I am proud that over this short period of time we have succeeded in achieving tangible results. I can promise that we shall keep up this pace until the very last minute of the Presidency."

Both sides emphasised in particular the current intensive legislative efforts on the establishment of the European Fund for Strategic Investment and telecommunications legislation, as well as the process of creating the Energy Union.

Referring to ongoing work, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica drew attention to the Presidency priorities such as relations with the EU's eastern partners and the need to seek solutions to emerging security threats.

The meeting with the Chairs of the EP Parliamentary Committees is essential in terms of draft legislation important for the Presidency. In accordance with the regular legislative procedures, the EU Council currently represented by the Latvian Presidency makes decisions jointly with the EP. This means that, for a draft legislative act to be adopted, both institutions must reach a compromise.

The Conference of Committee Chairs is the political body that coordinates the work of the parliamentary committees; it meets with the Presidency representatives twice during the EU Presidency - at the beginning and in the middle of the term.