EU Parliament President Stresses Need For Transatlantic Cooperation

European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek called for an increase in direct contacts between the U.S. Congress and its European counterpart at an April 27 Newsmaker.

“We want to build a much closer Transatlantic legislative partnership between the European Parliament and U.S. Congress," Buzek said. "After the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, we need to create common EU-U.S. working groups.”

Buzek said the new European structure based on the Lisbon Treaty puts the Eureopean Parliament in a stronger position. Responding to recent criticism of the European system, he highlighted the successful enlargement and stabilization of the EU neighborhood.

Europe, after its sanguinary days 60 years ago, has come a long way, Buzek said, adding that today’s Europe “sometimes can seem to be complicated if you look at us from this side of the Atlantic, yet the EU is quite successful. It is much better to be boring than warring.”

With the growing European Parliament responsibility for European legislation, there are increasing similarities to the U.S. Congress, Buzek said.

"We have the same basis, values, the same thinking, about the future of the world, and the same heritage, so many links between us, we are natural friends," he said. "But I think we don't always understand each other so increased contacts are absolutely necessary.”

Buzek referred to his meetings earlier in the day with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying, "On climate change, on the one hand, we feel that the U.S. should and could be more supportive, on the other hand there is a feeling in the U.S. that the EU could be more supportive and do more on global governance."

On Iran, Buzek said: "There is a common transatlantic determination to tackle the problem in the framework of the UN. We are facing a common danger and we want a common solution."

On the Middle East, he said that Clinton agreed with him for the need for "synergy and complementarity."
On Russia and the Eastern Partnership, he said he was surprised that Clinton was very well prepared about Belarus and welcomed the action of the EU and in particular the European Parliament on Belarus and the creation of the new Euronest parliamentary assembly built on the respect of common values.

"Secretary Clinton and I agree that we should work more to understand each other to become even more efficient. We must work to make sure that the Atlantic Ocean seems just like an inner lake,” Buzek said.