COSAC Chairpersons Meeting, Bucharest, 20-21 January 2019

Chairpersons of COSAC (Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union) are gathered in Bucharest for the first event organized by the Romanian Senate and Chamber of Deputies as part of the parliamentary dimension of the first Romanian Presidency of the EU Council.

COSAC meeting Romania 2019 brings together chairpersons of European Affairs committees of EU Member States, those of EU candidates and representatives of European Parliament and European Commission. Conference is to present priorities of Romanian EU Council Presidency, to debate bi-annual COSAC report, prepare COSAC plenary meeting and discuss Convergence and European Cohesion.

COSAC plenary meetings take place twice a year, usually in the capital of the country holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and gives members of parliamentary committees and the European Parliament an opportunity to discuss issues of current concern. At these meetings, each Parliament is represented by six Members.

Meeting of COSAC Chairpersons in Bucharest is preceded by a reunion of EU Presidential Trio composed of delegations representing national parliaments of acting EU Presidency (Romania), former EU Presidency (Austria) and next EU Presidency (Finland) as well as the European Parliament. Purpose of the reunion is to discuss and agree on the agenda, participants, topics and other important aspects pertaining to the meeting.

Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Ana Birchall said on Monday that the priorities of the Romanian EU Presidency were declined around four main pillars of action: Europe of convergence, Europe of safety, Europe - global player, Europe of common values, as AGERPRES transmitted. Deputy Prime Minister delivered the message of Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă about Romania's intention to strengthen, while holding the EU Presidency, a Union of pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance and solidarity.

"During our EU Presidency we will be permanently guided by the objective of a stronger, more cohesive Union, closer to its citizens and we are going to make all efforts to contribute to the definition of the actions of the European Union in the next years. I wish that Romania's mandate at the helm of the Council of the EU means the consolidation of a European Union of pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance and solidarity. I believe that only united we will be stronger and able to overcome the challenges we face today", Ana Birchall said, adding that in its activity, Romania will maintain an impartial, pragmatic approach, to identify "consensual" solutions, meant to advance the European agenda.

Source:RRA,AGERPRES.Translated by Miruna Matei