II SÉRIE-D — NÚMERO 27

44

ANEXO 6

INTERVENÇÕES DE MEMBROS DA DELEGAÇÃO DA AR À APCE

DURANTE A

1ª PARTE DA SESSÃO DE 2015

Estrasburgo, 26 a 30 de janeiro

27 de janeiro de 2015

Saudação do Presidente da Delegação, Deputado João Bosco Mota Amaral, por ocasião da

reeleição da Presidente da Assembleia Parlamentar do Conselho da Europa, Anne Brasseur

May I begin to congratulate you, dear colleague and friend Anne Brasseur, for you re-election to the high

position of President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

According to the existing rules each President is granted a two years mandate. But I dare say the

unanimous vote you received on Monday is a strong recognition of your effective and prestigious commitment

to perform the duties of the Presidency, promoting the values of our Organisation.

Debate sobre: “A implementação de um Memorando de Entendimento entre o Conselho da Europa e

a União Europeia”

 Deputado Mota Amaral (PSD)

Madam President,

Honourable Parliamentarians,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I begin to congratulate our Rapporteur, Mrs. Kerstin Lundgren for the excellent documents she has

elaborated — report, draft resolution and draft recommendation — with the support of the Committee on

Political Affairs and Democracy and its competent Secretariat.

Our Assembly debates today an important subject, even though not so mediatic as others included in the

agenda of this part session.

The cooperation between the Council of Europe and the European Union has been successfully developing

according to rules included in the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2007.

These two organisations, to each many of our countries are simultaneously member-states, share common

principles and goals, especially since the Lisbon Treaty made clear the involvement of the EU in the

endeavours of democracy and human rights.

Both organisations are now acting in synergy across Europe to serve better the interests of European

citizens.

It is reasonable to avoid duplication of efforts and consequent loss of human and financial resources.

But it is indeed mandatory to promote complementarity and coherence of standards in the very sensitive

field of democracy and human rights.

In her report, Mrs. Lundgren points out many areas in which this cooperation is progressing. This path

should be maintained!

Under our direct responsibility is the dialogue and cooperation with the European Parliament. We are

neighbours in Strasbourg and much more can be done between both assemblies. Sometimes, it looks like we

live and act back to back …

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is grounded on the strong democratic legitimacy of

our National Parliaments. It deserves to be fully respected!

I am sure we will all welcome delegations of Members of European Parliament, to participate in our plenary

sessions and committee meetings, when appropriate. It was an usual practice in the Parliamentary Assembly of