21/05/2013 President
Strasbourg, 21.05.2013 – “Its link with national parliaments is fundamental for the PACE, and we can be effective only if we strengthen that link”, said PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon, addressing the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Representatives in Brussels today.
Also referring to his wish to put in place with the European Union “a relationship of trusting co-operation, instead of competition”, he added: “We must strive to speak with a single voice, and focus on subjects of common interest, for many States which come within the EU’s neighbourhood policy are also members of the Council of Europe”. In his view, the Council of Europe is quite capable of placing at the EU’s disposal a number of bodies which have proved their worth, such as the Venice Commission, CPT, GRECO, Moneyval, GRETA and the European Court of Human Rights. “My message to the EU is a simple one: ‘Use us!’”, he said.
In this context, Mr Mignon announced that the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, would be addressing the PACE during its June session (24-28 June 2013).
Among his other priorities during his term of office, Mr Mignon pointed to his concern to make a contribution to the resolution of frozen conflicts (including the conflict between the Republic of Moldova and the separatist region of Transnistria and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict) and to make the Parliamentary Assembly more reactive.