The European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee agree to intensify their cooperation

The European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee have signed a new cooperation agreement to strengthen and widen the involvement of civil society in future policy-making at EU level.

On Tuesday 14 May, the Presidents of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Oliver Röpke, and of the European Parliament (EP), Roberta Metsola, signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen the relations between the two institutions and the overall role of the Committee as policy advisor to the European Parliament.

EESC President Oliver Röpke said: "Our Committee is an ally and a partner of the European Parliament. This new agreement reflects our ever-increasing cooperation – both at political and administrative levels. It also sends a clear signal that we want Europeans to speak up and actively participate in the decisions made at EU level. I would like to thank President Metsola for her commitment to a shared objective of a more democratic Europe."

Stronger participatory democracy in EU

The agreement builds a solid ground for a more participative decision-making at European level. The agreement identifies an economically prosperous, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable Union as a shared objective of both institutions and underlines the importance of protecting the European Union's core values and the rule of law.

To reach this objective, the cooperation agreement enables a stronger role for the EESC in all phases of policy-making at European level. According to the agreement, the EP can call on the EESC to propose new EU action at its own initiative. Through so called "exploratory opinions" grass root stakeholders can express their concerns, needs and expectations for new legislation. The EESC will also further help the EP by carrying out ex-post evaluations on selected existing EU legislation and spending programmes. This should allow to identify implementation gaps, as well as any shortcomings to be taken into account when drafting and revising legislation and EU policy.

The cooperation agreement also encourages closer cooperation between Members of the European Parliament and EESC Members through regular contacts, better coordination and planning throughout the legislative process.

The Parliament and the Committee also acknowledge the need to strengthen participation of, and dialogue with civil society organisations beyond current levels. In the agreement, the EP expresses its support to the EESC's initiatives to reinforce relations with national Economic and Social Councils, as well as initiatives engaging civil society at large. Only recently, the EESC introduced on the initiative of its President, Oliver Röpke, an "EESC Youth Test" for its opinions and inclusion of 'Enlargement Candidate Members' to its work.

The full text of the cooperation agreement can be found here.

Background

The text of the new agreement replaces the one in force since 2014 and formalises the political and administrative cooperation already existing between the EESC and the EP. The last decade saw the two institutions intensify their ties, in view of a greater involvement of European citizens in EU decision-making.