Intensifying the cooperation between the European Committee of the Regions with national and regional parliaments on strengthening the role of the principle of subsidiarity in the EU policy making was at the heart of the speech Michael Schneider, EPP Group in the CoR President, delivered at the thematic conference today in Rome.
"Only together, through cooperation and by addressing synergies, we can ensure that European decisions are taken with the involvement of the relevant levels of government. I would therefore like to take this opportunity today to emphasize that the Committee of the Regions is to pursue closer collaboration with national parliaments." – emphasized President Schneider addressing the "Subsidiarity monitoring, better regulation and political dialogue prospects and challenges" conference taking place at the seat of the Italian Senato della Repubblica.
President Schneider who is also the CoR's Chair of the Subsidiarity Steering Group reminded those listening that regional parliaments can be involved in the subsidiarity early warning mechanism of the national parliaments. He also stressed that with the Lisbon Treaty, the Committee of the Regions may bring an action before the Court of the EU, should any proposed laws violate the principle of subsidiarity. This provides the Committee with an important oversight role.
"A judicial review should only be a last resort, because an action before the Court for infringement of the subsidiarity principle would mean EU legislators had not complied with the principle of subsidiarity and taken measures where they are not actually qualified to do so. The aim of the Committee of the Regions is therefore rather to strengthen cooperation with the EU institutions and the national and regional parliaments to ensure that in each case the best possible legal regulations are met" – concluded Michael Schneider.
Raffaele Cattaneo, Chair of the CoR's Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget has also addressed the conference.
The subsidiarity principle is a cornerstone of the legal and political structure of the European Union, providing an order to the shared responsibilities in EU policy-making and law-making. It intends to ensure that decisions are taken closest to the citizen and that the European Union would refrain from action when, the objectives may be effectively reached at the level of central government, the region or the community.