Resolutions of the European Parliament
The future of the EU and the post-Brexit relations with London are the themes of the resolutions passed Wednesday by the EP.
Bogdan Matei, 16.01.2020, 14:00
Starting with the first session of 2020, the European Parliament adopted resolutions reflecting the EU’s stand on some very sensitive issues of the moment. The MEPs voted on the European Green Deal bill which had been previously presented by the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Strasbourg, the EP established that the future law on climate should be more ambitious than the proposals of the Commission regarding the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
The EP wants the Union to adopt these objectives much ahead of the UN conference on climate change that was scheduled for the autumn of 2020. Equally, the MEPs want to set out an intermediate target for 2040 and thus make sure that the EU is on the right track in terms of reaching climate neutrality in 2050.
The EP resolution also asks for the creation of a Border Carbon Adjustment mechanism that should be compatible with the norms of the World Trade Organization. The MEPs warned that they would modify all legislative proposals with a view to complying with the green deal targets. They also talked about a project aimed at reforming the way in which the EU is functioning and at bringing it closer to the citizens’ expectations.
The EP wants the citizens’ voices to be in the center of the large-scale discussions that will tackle the ways to approach internal and external challenges that were not addressed upon the conclusion of the Lisbon Treaty. The EP resolution shows that people from all walks of life, civil society representatives and interested parties at European, national, regional and local levels should get involved in establishing the priorities of the Union.
The Vice-President of the European Commission for democracy and demography, Croat Dubravka Suica, admitted that the European Institutions did not always manage to translate the European citizens’ wishes into legislation. ‘The old way of doing politics no longer works. Citizens want us to hear them and we must listen to them and give them the feedback they need. Cooperation and courage are the new key words in this process. We must be brave and find new creative and innovative solutions to make our democracy work even better for the citizens” Vice-President Dubravka Suica said in a statement, adding that a joint declaration from the EP, the EC and the Council on this topic could pave the way for this unique partnership.
The MEPs also debated the situation of the rights of the European citizens in Great Britain after Brexit. They say the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement includes fair and balanced provisions that will protect the citizens’ rights during and after the transition period. However, they drew attention to the problems existing in the new registration system of European citizens who want to apply for a new residence permit for the UK. (translation by L. Simion)
