WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2506/96 by Frode KRISTOFFERSEN to the Commission. Dialogue between the Commission and the national parliaments
Date: 1996-09-23
Institutions: European Parliament, KRISTOFFERSEN
Subjects: European Parliament, European Union, Netherlands, access to EU information, data processing, institutional cooperation, interparliamentary relations, national parliament, provision of documents, standing committee













EUR-Lex - 91996E2506 - EN






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91996E2506

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2506/96 by Frode KRISTOFFERSEN to the Commission. Dialogue between the Commission and the national parliaments  


Official Journal C 011 , 13/01/1997 P. 0101 





WRITTEN QUESTION P-2506/96 by Frode Kristoffersen (PPE) to the Commission (23 September 1996)Subject: Dialogue between the Commission and the national parliamentsIn its answer to an earlier question (H-0542/96) ((Debates of the European Parliament N° 4-487 (July 1996). )) on information for the national parliaments, the Commission pointed out that it regards the Member States' Permanent Representatives in Brussels as the 'normal' channel for transmission of documents to the authorities of the Member States. However, in a working document of 25 July 1996 (PE 218.746) the European Parliament's Committee on Institutional Affairs proposes to change this practice so as to ensure that proposals for various EU initiatives are transmitted direct to the national parliaments (preferably by electronic means) and the national parliaments are thus informed of the proposals at the same time as the European Parliament is. It also proposed a more systematic practice of the Members of the Commission appearing before national parliaments (or presenting major new Commission proposals).Can the Commission, further to its answer of 16 July 1996, state whether it regards a dialogue with the national parliaments as a valuable part of the effort to increase public interest in the workings of the European Union and, if so, whether it is contemplating action to strengthen contacts with the national parliaments, including following the recommendations in the working document?Answer given by Mr Oreja on behalf of the Commission (24 October 1996)The Commission can only confirm that it considers that the normal initial channel of transmission to national authorities is for the moment the permanent representatives of the Member States in Brussels.The Commission has received demands from national parliaments that it should make available legislative proposals immediately after we submit them to the Council and the European Parliament. The most recent demand is from the Danish Parliament which has asked that the Commission should make these texts available electronically. This would of course be possible technically but, since it raises a question of relations between national governments and national parliaments, the Commission has raised the question with the Council and is awaiting its reaction.Members of the Commission and senior officials do from time to time attend committee meetings of national parliaments at their invitation to explain proposals. However, the Commission would point out that its primary constitutional responsibility is to the European Parliament.