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Verbatim report of proceedings
Wednesday, 26 March 2008 - Brussels OJ edition

Results of the European Council (Brussels, 13-14 March 2008) (debate)
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  Jens-Peter Bonde (IND/DEM). – Mr President, this is one of my last speeches in the European Parliament. I have decided to leave by 9 May and deliver the seat to my successor, Minister Hanne Dahl, to bring a change in sex and generation for the Danish June Movement. I intend to continue my political work. As President of the transnational party, the EUDemocrats, I cannot stop my lifelong battle for transparency, proximity and democracy.

We have achieved a great deal. The Commission’s internal telephone book is no longer a secret document. Agendas and minutes of Commission meetings are no longer secret, in French only. They can now be found on the net. The Commission’s 3 000 secret working groups can be downloaded, for instance from my website, thanks to Commission President Barroso. From next year the names of the advisers can be found on the net as well. From next year we will also have a complete list of all recipients of agricultural spending. The list of victories for transparency is long.

The Council has still not learnt. Eighty-five per cent of all European laws are still decided behind closed doors in the 300 secret working groups in the Council. Elected Members of this Parliament and the national parliaments cannot follow the legislative process in the Council. The few formal deliberations and public votes do not involve the public and the media. We urgently need a review of our legislative process. No EU law should be passed without a visible voting majority both in this Parliament and in the Council. Citizens should be able to hold law-makers accountable. They should be able to reward us or punish us at the next polling day.

The core of democracy is the ability to hold elections, obtain a new majority and then a new law. This basic democratic principle unites all of us. Why, then, forget it when we share our sovereignty? Why not permit full transparency in the legislative procedure? Why are you in the Commission and the Council still hiding the major part of the legislative process, even under so-called ‘codecision’, where we are not properly informed about your deliberations and the divisions between Member States? I shall continue our joint fight for transparency from the outside. Dear colleagues, I hope you will continue the battles from the inside of this Parliament.

 
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