Hole-and-corner decision-making by the EU

25.4.2018

Question for written answer E-002290-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Auke Zijlstra (ENF)

On 10 April, the Leidsch Dagblad published an article on the lack of democratic scrutiny by national parliaments of EU decision-making. ‘The Netherlands Parliament is fed up with the Netherlands Government’s reaching agreements on pensions, migration and the EU’s budget, which runs to billions, without there being any opportunity for Parliament to monitor whether, in Brussels, ministers have fought for what they promised Parliament they would. This makes it easy for a government to say that “Brussels insists”, but Parliament cannot verify such a claim’. The EU Ombudsman too has stated that this opaque procedure is contrary to all the principles of proper administration.

1. Does the Commission consider democratic scrutiny of decision-making within the EU to be one of the foundation stones of proper administration?

2. Does the Commission consider that national parliaments are playing a part in the democratic scrutiny of decision-making within the EU?

3. Does the Commission endorse the finding of the EU Ombudsman that democratic scrutiny of decision-making in the EU is inadequate, and if not, why not?