MEPs plan closer ties with local assemblies

Date: 17/12/1998

By Rory Watson

SCORES of regional assemblies throughout the Union could soon be far more closely involved with the work of the European Parliament under plans being considered by MEPs.

One of the proposals on the table would give local legislatures direct access to follow the progress of EU initiatives of interest to them at the committee stage.

"We have an informal agreement, and we hope this will soon be formalised, to reserve six places in the regional affairs committee for representatives from these parliaments with legislative powers," said European Parliament President José María Gil-Robles.

The arrangement would be a direct way of connecting regional politicians with activities at an EU level to improve local economic infrastructure and transport links in different parts of the Union.

"We are looking at any concrete way to help them better follow and understand EU activities, especially our legislative work," said one senior parliamentary official.

The new partnership is also being encouraged by a number of other initiatives. The Parliament is giving regional assemblies access to its own database and is ready to use this to communicate their activities to a wider audience.

Moves are also afoot to ensure that they also have access to documents prepared in Brussels, Strasbourg or Luxembourg and that the two different levels of decision-making are each aware of policies adopted by the other. Almost 90 of the 270 or so regional parliaments in the Union have some form of legislative responsibility, particularly in Italy, Austria, Germany, Spain and Belgium.

Impetus for the closer contacts between the European and regional bodies, which mirror the current emphasis on a good working relationship between MEPs and national parliaments, was provided by a declaration agreed at Oviedo last year by the presidents of regional legislative assemblies in the Union in which they outlined their objectives for a clear role within the EU.

In encouraging the trend, the European Parliament is carefully distinguishing between providing practical help to the assemblies while making clear that the institutional question of to what extent they should have an 'international' role is a matter to be decided solely by each member state.

One striking example of the closer relationship already being developed between MEPs and their regional counterparts was the visit to Brussels this autumn by all the members of the new Northern Ireland assembly.

Gil-Robles also visited Edinburgh earlier this month for talks with the Scottish Secretary of State Donald Dewar about the contacts which could be developed with the new Scottish Parliament - the latest addition to the ranks of regional assemblies with legislative powers - which will be voted into existence in early May.

"I firmly believe that for the health of democracy in Europe it is necessary to have a network of parliaments. We need flexibility and quick cooperation. If we can organise this network, it will help to bring Europe closer to the citizen. It is a practical expression of subsidiarity," said Gil-Robles before his visit to Scotland.

He does not, however, see these contacts all flowing one way from the regions towards Brussels and Strasbourg.

"I would like to see MEPs having the right to go and speak in regional parliaments, as some can now do, and for the latter to have the right to convoke them. It is a useful and cheap form of communication allowing MEPs to explain Brussels to representatives at home and for these to make known their views about EU developments," he explained.

His views are echoed by the British Labour MEP and Parliament Vice-President David Martin, who also believes that the involvement of regional parliaments can bring a new practical dimension to the Union.

He has raised the possibility of a European Parliament president addressing individual regional assemblies and is a firm supporter of the new Scottish parliament following the example set by Belgium and Germany by allowing MEPs to give evidence to its European affairs committee.