This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Call for transparency in European governance
09/07/2002
Europe needs to open up its decision-making to bring
Government closer to the citizens, First Minister Jack
McConnell said in Brussels today.
At a meeting of the the Commission for Constitutional
Affairs and European Governance of the Committee of
Regions, Mr McConnell said:
"The Scottish Parliament has made real progress over the
past three years to make the process of Government in
Scotland more open and accountable to the people. Europe
must now do the same."
The First Minister outlined a proposed series of
measures to open up EU decision-making, including:
- Greater involvement for public bodies closest to
the citizens, including devolved Governments
- More systematic, early dialogue between the
Commission and implementing bodies
- That the Council of Ministers meet in public when
agreeing EU legislation
- Greater use of framework legislation, leaving the
detail to implementing authorities such as Member
States and devolved Governments
He added:
"The European Union is key to our security and our
economic and social well-being. We must ensure that those
affected by EU decision making have a greater ownership of
laws and policies agreed at European level. Making European
government more transparent will improve European laws and
build a stronger, more effective Europe for the
future."
Mr McConnell was outlining initial proposals he plans to
include in the draft opinion on
More Democracy, Transparency and Efficiency in the
European Union he has been asked to prepare on their
behalf. The report, following consultation within the
Committee and with others, will be finalised in the autumn
and will be reflected in the view given by the Committee of
the Regions to the Convention on the Future of Europe which
is preparing proposals for treaty changes when new Member
States join the Union in 2004.
