European semester should be aligned with national budget cycles

21.03.2018 11:30

European semester should be aligned with national budget cycles

In order to better coordinate economic policies, the European Semester should be aligned with the budgetary calendars of national parliaments, say MEPs in a Report aimed at increasing national parliaments’ involvement in European decision-making. The Report was adopted today by a large majority in the European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee.

MEPs want the European Parliament and national parliaments to be better involved in the European Semester process. Therefore, MEPs recommend that budgetary calendars at national and European level are more coordinated throughout the process. They also suggest implementing a national period for budgetary dialogue, during which national parliaments would be able to deliberate and contribute to the European Semester by providing their governments with a mandate in their relations with the Commission and the Council.

"It is important to bring national parliaments closer to the overall integration process and to increase the political structured debate established between the European Commission and national parliaments. The specific contribution that national parliaments can bring to the European level is precisely a diversity of national visions, proportionately represented. It is evident that the core function of national parliaments remains the democratic scrutiny and monitoring of governmental activity in the Council and in the European Council", said Paulo Rangel MEP, responsible for the dossier on behalf of the European Parliament.

MEPs also call for the establishment of a ‘European week’ that should take place simultaneously in the 27 national parliaments and bring together Commissioners, MEPs and national MPs to debate European affairs.

Note to editors

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 219 Members from 28 Member States

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