The members of the coordinating group of Business and Parliament International Association headed by the NA Vice-Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan met with Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice-President of European` Parliament (EP). The MPs from the NA factions-grouping are involved in the group.
The EP Vice-President coordinates the cooperation of European Union member-states, countries included in the New Neighbourhood programme and parliaments of Mediterranean Sea countries. Mr. Scott informed that it is envisaged to hold a conference with participation of European Union 25 member-states, European Parliament, parliamentarians of countries included in the New Neighbourhood programme. The conference will be held in Brussels to discuss the prospects of development of parliaments’ cooperation in the absence of European Constitution. The European Commission attempts to increase the involvement of national parliaments in the cooperation, especially in the issue of bringing the national legislation to accordance with European one. According to Mr. Scott, we should not be satisfied only with sending drafts to different parliaments, but to give for estimation and in case of necessity to give the rejection opportunity. In his view, in the process of bringing the legislation to conformity we have to increase the role of parliaments. The European guest noted that it is necessary to show a universal-unified approach: today certain issues are mainly solved. Since the prevailing part of adopted laws in the European Parliament is directed toward economic activity and have a relation with business surrounding, the outlined cooperation would be right in the sphere of economic legislation compliance. That’s a new opportunity, thinks the NA Vice-Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan. As of today, in the Euro integration process the sphere of Human Rights Defender, reforms in the Constitution and Criminal Code have been mainly included. He noted that among CIS countries, Armenia singles out with liberalism of economic legislation, though there are current problems. The NA Vice-Speaker noted that Armenia has to bring the legislation in compliance with closed borders. Vahan Hovhannisyan considers helpful the experience of Euro Parliament. He also noted that Euro Parliament succeeded to move the Armenian-Azeri relations into new stage: by this time within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group 2 meetings were organized in Brussels between Armenian and Azeri sides. The third meeting is supposed to be held in Belgium in the coming month.
The member of Coordination Group Grigir Ghonjeyan, who is also a member of EU-Armenia Interparliamentarian Cooperation Committee, noted that Armenia has not been presented as a possible EU member, even in distant future in any document, adopted by the Committee. In these conditions he predicts some difficulties in the issue of bringing the economic legislation into conformity to European one. Mr. Scott mentioned, that today two models are circulating in the EU. A rather big expansion is envisioned by the French-German model. At the same time a decision was adopted in January, according to which Ukraine, is considered a country on the way to EU membership. In this case, Mr.Scott wonders, why not Armenia, Georgia or Azerbaijan? He has also a reserved attitude toward Turkey’s EU membership.
The Armenian parliamentarians also spoke about actions programme envisaged by New Neighbourhood policy. It was noted that 3 countries with their opportunities and achievements are artificially equalized. They expressed an opinion that an individual programme should be implemented for each country.
The Vice-President of the European Parliament wishes to apply the principle of equal cooperation and ensure the experience exchange between parliaments.
