Barroso: Commissie en Parlement moeten samen discussie over de toekomst van de EU stimuleren (en)

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso offers the European Parliament to co-operate closely to make a contribution during the period of reflection, following the rejection of the Constitutional Treaty in France and the Netherlands earlier this year.

In a letter to President Borrell of the European Parliament sent on 21 September, President José Barroso i offered a close cooperation between the two institutions.

President Barroso said: "I stand ready to work hand in hand with the European Parliament to implement Plan D for democracy, dialogue and debate. It is my firm belief that the European Parliament, as the democratically elected body representing the European citizens, has a key role to play in these important debates."

President Barroso will, at his initiative, attend the `Conference of Presidents' on Wednesday 28 September in Strasbourg to debrief the Presidents of the political groups in the European Parliament on the Commission's seminar of 20 September.

He will also at that occasion, together with Vice President Margot Wallström i, provide the European Parliament with more details on Plan D, including a range of proposed concrete actions to be taken to actively listen to the European citizens, as well as ideas on how to structure the debate and ensure effective feedback processes.

President Barroso has expressed the hope that the European Commission and the European Parliament could quickly identify a number of initiatives on which they can collaborate and looks forward to a constructive co-operation on this important undertaking.