Referat fra COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 26-27/1-25 i Warszawa

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE PRESIDENTIAL TROIKA OF COSAC
WARSAW, POLAND, 26 JANUARY 2025
PRESENT AT THE MEETING
CHAIR: Mr Tomasz GRODZKI, Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Polish
Senat, and Ms Agnieszka POMASKA, Chair of the Committee on EU Affairs of the Polish
Sejm;
Mr Zoltán TESSELY, Chair of the Committee on European Union Affairs of the Hungarian
Országgyűlés;
Ms Birgitte KLINTSKOV JERKEL, Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Danish
Folketing, and Mr Henrik MØLLER, Vice-Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the
Danish Folketing;
Mr Esteban GONZÁLEZ PONS, Vice-President of the European Parliament, and Mr Sven
SIMON, Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament.
PROCEEDINGS
1. ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT AGENDA OF THE MEETING OF THE COSAC PRESIDENTIAL
TROIKA
After welcoming the delegations of the Presidential Troika of COSAC (hereafter referred to as
“the Troika”) to Warsaw, Mr GRODZKI referred to the agenda of the meeting, which was
adopted without comments.
2. APPROVAL OF THE DRAFT PROGRAMME OF THE MEETING OF THE COSAC CHAIRPERSONS
Mr GRODZKI referred to the draft programme of the Meeting of the COSAC Chairpersons
and outlined its main aspects. He noted that the draft programme had been circulated to
delegations in advance, and also uploaded to IPEX. The draft programme was approved
without comments.
3. DISCUSSION ON THE DRAFT PROGRAMME OF THE LXXIII COSAC
Ms POMASKA then referred to the draft programme of the LXXIII COSAC to be held in
Warsaw on 8-10 June 2025. She explained that the Prime Minister of Poland, Mr Donald
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TUSK, had been invited as a keynote speaker for the first session of the meeting concerning
the implementation of the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European
Union. During the second session titled ‘The European Commission and the European
Parliament work programmes in the new institutional cycle. Strategic Agenda of the European
Union’, Mr GONZÁLEZ PONS had agreed to deliver a keynote speech, and Mr Maroš
ŠEFČOVIČ, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and
Transparency, had also been invited to act as a keynote speaker during this session. Invitations
had furthermore been extended to Mr Adam SZŁAPKA, Polish Minister for the European
Union, Mr Andrzej DOMAŃSKI, Polish Minister for Finance, and Mr Piotr SERAFIN,
Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration, to attend as keynote speakers
during the third session of the meeting on the new EU Multiannual Financial Framework.
Similarly, invitations had been extended to Mr Radosław SIKORSKI, Polish Minister of
Foreign Affairs, and to Ms Marta KOS, Commissioner for Enlargement, to participate in the
fourth session dealing with the enlargement policy of the European Union as keynote speakers.
Lastly, Mr Krzysztof GAWKOWSKI, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, the Government
Plenipotentiary for Cybersecurity, and a representative from the European External Action
Service, were envisaged to be keynote speakers for the fifth and last session of the LXXIII
COSAC on cyber-resilience and disinformation.
Mr TESSELY thanked for the information, and noted that the dates coincide with Pentecost.
Ms POMASKA replied that the Presidency was aware of this, but unfortunately, no other
possible dates for the LXXIII COSAC had been found that would not overlap with other
activities of the national parliaments or the European Parliament .
Mr GONZÁLEZ PONS similarly thanked the Presidency and suggested that Mr SIMON could
be included as a keynote speaker during one of the sessions. Ms POMASKA thanked him for
the suggestion and said that the Presidency will look into the matter.
4. APPROVAL OF THE OUTLINE OF THE 43RD BI-ANNUAL REPORT OF COSAC
Mr GRODZKI then made a brief presentation of the Outline of the 43rd Bi-annual Report of
COSAC, noting that the chapters correspond to selected themes that will be discussed during
the LXXIII COSAC. He remarked that the questionnaire will be sent out on 4 February, with
a deadline for delegations to reply by 17 March 2025. The document was approved without
comments.
5. LETTERS RECEIVED BY THE PRESIDENCY
Mr GRODZKI then proceeded to inform the Troika that letters had been sent to the Presidency
from the parliaments of Kosovo1
, Norway and Switzerland, as well as from the UK House of
Lords, with requests to attend the Meeting of the Chairpersons of COSAC. After consulting
with the Troika, the Presidency had replied affirmatively to these letters. Mr GRODZKI also
informed the Troika that a letter had been received from the parliament of Georgia. This letter
was sent in reply to the letter sent by the Presidency, after consultation with the Troika, to the
parliament of Georgia expressing deep concern about the situation in Georgia and explaining
that the Presidency no longer supports the invitation to Georgia to participate in the Meeting
of the Chairpersons of COSAC. All letters discussed during this point are available on IPEX.
Mr TESSELY took the floor to express that he had been to Georgia during the recent
parliamentary elections as an observer. He expressed his regret at the actions of the Presidency,
noting that, in his understanding, these were not in line with the Rules of Procedure of COSAC
or the general principles of interparliamentary cooperation. He argued that in cases of political
disagreement, it is important to engage in dialogue, and that refusing the Georgian delegation
to participate goes against the democratic principle. He also underlined that the conduct of the
Presidency is targeting a country, whose territorial integrity is also violated by Russia. He
added that Georgia is a victim of Russian aggression, but at that time did not get the level of
solidarity Ukraine is enjoying now. He also noted that negotiations with another candidate
country had in the past been suspended, but that country is still being invited to the COSAC
meetings. He suggested that the Presidency reconsider the invitation to Georgia for the LXXIII
COSAC.
Mr GONZÁLEZ PONS also made a brief intervention, in which he noted that while no formal
decision had been taken so far in the European Parliament on this matter, the action of the
Polish Presidency regarding Georgia was in line with the concerns voiced in the European
Parliament’s resolution of 28 November 2024.
Mr GRODZKI replied that it was the Prime Minister of Georgia who had decided to freeze
negotiation talks, not the other way around. He underlined that the parliament of Georgia had
initially been invited to participate, but the decision of the Prime Minister led to the
cancellation. As for the participation of Georgia in the upcoming plenary meeting of the
LXXIII COSAC, all options were still on the table, and the decision would also be influenced
by what measures the European Parliament would eventually take. However, he underlined
that the pro-Russian stance of the current government in Georgia raised serious concerns.
1
This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ
opinion on Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
Ms POMASKA remarked that the invitation could be used to legitimise the government of
Georgia, and that if the parliament of Georgia would send a delegation, only the government
party would be represented.
Ms KLINTSKOV JERKEL took the floor to explain that the issue had been debated in the
European Affairs Committee of the Danish Folketing, together with the concerns of the
Presidency. The Committee had noted that it is the Georgian government which had suspended
their participation in the enlargement process, which created uncertainty as regards their status
as candidate country, for all intents and purposes. Furthermore, she noted that traditionally, the
participation of candidate countries in COSAC had been intended as a way of aiding candidate
countries in their integration process into the EU, and if the negotiations were suspended this
purpose was consequently, to some degree, lost. She concluded with the statement that Georgia
could not be treated like the other candidate countries, which was why the Danish Folketing
had supported the decision of the Presidency.
Mr GRODZKI finished by thanking for the interventions and underlining that the way of
reasoning expressed by Ms KLINTSKOV JERKEL reflected the convictions of the Presidency
as well.
6. ANY OTHER BUSINESS (INCLUDING CO-FINANCING OF THE PERMANENT MEMBER OF THE
COSAC SECRETARIAT)
As a last point, Mr GRODZKI notified members of the Troika that a first annual report of the
Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat had been uploaded to IPEX. This was a joint
initiative between the Permanent Member and the Polish Presidency in order to increase the
transparency around the work of the Secretariat, and henceforth a report will be published each
January by the Permanent Member. Mr GRODZKI also informed the Troika that a letter
concerning the co-financing of the position of Permanent Member of the COSAC Secretariat
for the period 2026-2027 will be sent out to delegations on 29 January. It will, as per established
practice, ask Parliaments/Chambers to sign a letter of intent concerning the co-financing for
the period 2026-2027.


MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE CHAIRPERSONS OF COSAC
WARSAW, POLAND, 26 - 27 JANUARY 2025
Note: A video recording of the full meeting is available via the webpage of the Parliamentary
Dimension of the Polish Presidency.
PROCEEDINGS
IN THE CHAIR: Mr Tomasz GRODZKI, Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee of
the Polish Senat, and Ms Agnieszka POMASKA, Chair of the Committee on EU Affairs of the
Polish Sejm.
OPENING SESSION
Opening speech by Ms Małgorzata KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA, Marshal of the Senate of
Poland
In her opening speech, Ms KIDAWA-BŁOŃSKA initially recalled the recent speech by the
Prime Minister of Poland, Mr Donald TUSK, in Strasbourg, in which he had stressed that
Europe is and will remain great. Europe is a good place to live in, defined by democracy and
the rule of law. She underlined that parliamentarians have a special responsibility for the future
of Europe. It is the duty of parliamentarians to listen, explain, and also to be bold about the
future of European policy. She went on to underline that Europe is only powerful when it
speaks with one voice, and only then it is capable of presenting its interests with solidarity.
Agency is the most valuable currency of policy, she added. The world today is fraught with
danger, which is why citizens expect decisive action for security, she continued. Peace is
coming to an end, and together we must be capable of making our defence industries and
militaries strong enough so that no one would even think of attacking Europe, she underlied.
She then pointed out that economic security is also particularly important at present,
emphasizing that Europe has all the tools to ensure that the 21st century is the century of a
strong Europe. She brought to attention that the Polish Presidency has security as its
overarching priority, across several sectors. She highlighted that security also involves
strengthening the Union's resilience to natural disasters, which is why the second part of the
meeting was dedicated to addressing the impact of climate change from the perspective of the
EU budget. She also reminded delegations that the Polish Presidency coincides with a new
legislative cycle and the preparations for the new Multiannual Financial Framework. Finally,
she stated that there is no time for weakness or lack of agency in the face of the dual challenge:
finding answers to global turbulence and gaining citizens' support for the bold plan to build a
secure Europe. It is a collective duty to reinforce Europe's greatness.
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PROCEDURAL ISSUES AND MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
Mr GRODZKI took the floor to briefly present the proposed agenda for the Chairpersons
meeting. He also noted that the draft agenda had been communicated to delegations in advance,
and uploaded to IPEX. The agenda was then adopted without any comments.
Mr GRODZKI went on to briefly present the outcome of the meeting of the presidential Troika
the preceding day. He then gave a brief presentation of the draft programme of the LXXIII
COSAC Plenary Meeting, to be held in Warsaw on 8-10 June 2025. The Prime Minister of
Poland, Mr Donald TUSK, had been invited as a keynote speaker for the first session of the
meeting concerning the implementation of the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council
of the European Union. During the second session titled ‘The European Commission and the
European Parliament work programmes in the new institutional cycle. Strategic Agenda of the
European Union’, Mr GONZÁLEZ PONS had agreed to deliver a keynote speech, and Mr
Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional
Relations and Transparency, had also been invited to act as a keynote speaker during this
session. Invitations had furthermore been extended to Mr Adam SZŁAPKA, Polish Minister
for the European Union, Mr Andrzej DOMAŃSKI, Polish Minister for Finance, and Mr Piotr
SERAFIN, Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration, to attend as
keynote speakers during the third session of the meeting on the new EU Multiannual Financial
Framework. Similarly, invitations had been extended to Mr Radosław SIKORSKI, Polish
Minister of Foreign Affairs, and to Ms Marta KOS, Commissioner for Enlargement, to
participate in the fourth session dealing with the enlargement policy of the European Union as
keynote speakers. Lastly, Mr Krzysztof GAWKOWSKI, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland, the
Government Plenipotentiary for Cybersecurity, and a representative from the European
External Action Service, were envisaged to be keynote speakers for the fifth and last session
of the LXXIII COSAC on cyber-resilience and disinformation.
Thereafter Mr GRODZKI informed delegations that the first annual report on the activities of
the COSAC Secretariat was available on IPEX. The report had been developed as a joint
initiative between the Polish Presidency and the current Permanent Member of the COSAC
Secretariat, Mr Jakob SJÖVALL, with the aim of increasing the transparency of the work of
the Secretariat. This report is intended to be an annually recurring report.
Following this, the outline of the 43rd Bi-annual Report of COSAC was briefly described by
Mr GRODZKI. He noted that the questionnaire for the report would be sent out on 4 February,
with a deadline for replies set for 17 March. The document was then adopted without any
comments.
Mr GRODZKI also informed delegations that letters had been sent to the Presidency from the
parliaments of Kosovo1
, Norway and Switzerland, as well as from the UK House of Lords,
with requests to attend the Meeting of the Chairpersons of COSAC. After consulting with the
Troika, the Presidency had replied affirmatively to these letters. Mr GRODZKI also informed
the Troika that a letter had been received from the parliament of Georgia. This letter was sent
in reply to the letter previously sent by the Presidency, after consultation with the Troika, to
the parliament of Georgia expressing deep concern about the situation in Georgia and
explaining that the Presidency no longer supports the invitation to Georgia to participate in the
Meeting of the Chairpersons of COSAC.
Lastly, Mr GRODZKI also informed delegations that a request for co-financing of the COSAC
Secretariat for the period 2026-2027 would be sent out to delegations in accordance with
Article 9.5 of the Rules of Procedure of COSAC. The letter would be sent on 29 January, with
a request for Parliaments/Chambers willing to contribute to send a letter of intent by 12 May
the latest.
SESSION I - PRIORITIES OF THE POLISH PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION
The session was chaired by Mr Tomasz GRODZKI, Chair of the European Union Affairs
Committee of the Senate of the Republic of Poland and Ms Agnieszka POMASKA Chair of
the European Union Affairs Committee of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland
The session began with a keynote speech by Mr Adam SZŁAPKA, Minister for the European
Union Affairs of Poland.
In his speech, Mr SZŁAPKA outlined the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of
the European Union, which reflect Poland’s commitment to strengthen European security
across various dimensions, such as internal, external, information, economic, energy, food and
health. Mr SZŁAPKA underlined the significance of addressing all these aspects of security in
order to ensure a comprehensive approach to the challenges that the European Union was
currently facing. He also emphasized the paramount importance of collective responsibility for
Europe's security, highlighting the need to bolster support for Ukraine, strengthen sanctions
against Russia, and enhance the EU's defence capabilities. In his intervention, Mr SZŁAPKA
reminded all participants that Europe was still a dream for many countries and that the current
reality required continuous action and commitment. In addition, he underlined that this was the
reason why the motto chosen for the Polish Presidency of the EU Council was “Security,
Europe!”
1
This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the
ICJ opinion on Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
During the following debate, 41 speakers took the floor.
In the debate, there was unanimous support for the Polish Presidency’s focus on security as the
central and cross cutting priority for the EU. Effectively promoting this would require political
leadership and unity within the EU. A majority of speakers referred to military security and the
need to reinforce the EU’s defence capabilities. This would require additional resources, which
some speakers linked to increasing the share of GDP that Member States devote to defence,
while others also mentioned initiatives such as an EU defence fund. Continued support to
Ukraine, as it resisted Russia’s war of aggression, was noted as essential for the EU’s security
in numerous interventions, while various speakers also highlighted the need to counter hybrid
threats including the recent attacks on submarine connectivity infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
Disinformation and foreign interference were also identified as important threats to the EU,
with a number of speakers mentioning that these threats came not only from states such as
Russia, but also increasingly from powerful individuals such as Mr. Elon MUSK. The threat
represented by the election of a US President who openly challenged the multilateral order and
threatened NATO allies, as was the case with Denmark in relation to Greenland, was also
mentioned. Speakers mentioned that this would be a test of the EU’s resolve and unity in
guaranteeing its own security. Numerous interventions noted that strengthening the EU’s
economic competitiveness was also essential for the EU’s security. In relation to this, speakers
mentioned the need to reinforce the single market, facilitating access to common investments
and reducing the administrative burden for the private sector. Resilience and preparedness were
also identified as necessary elements for promoting the EU’s security across different sectoral
areas.
The following speakers took the floor during this debate:
Zoltán TESSELY (Hungarian Országgyűlés), Esteban GONZÁLEZ PONS (European
Parliament), Gabriela MORAWSKA-STANECKA (Polish Sejm), Giulio TERZI DI
SANT'AGATA (Italian Senato della Repubblica), Erik OTTOSON (Swedish Riksdag), Peter
DE ROOVER (Belgian Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigers/Chambre des représentants),
Pieyre-Alexandre ANGLADE (French Assemblée nationale), Bastiaan VAN APELDOORN
(Dutch Eerste Kamer), Francisco José CONDE LÓPEZ (Spanish Cortes Generales), Rasa
BUDBERGYTE (Lithuanian Seimas), Anton HOFREITER (German Bundestag), Bojan
KEKEC (Slovenian Državni svet), Heikki AUTTO (Finnish Eduskunta), Maria-Gabriela
HORGA (Romanian Senat), Jelena MILOŠ (Croatian Hrvatski sabor), Peter HAUBNER
(Austrian Nationalrat), Janusz LEWANDOWSKI (European Parliament), Jean-François
RAPIN (French Sénat), Harris GEORGIADES (Cypriot Vouli ton Antiprosopon), Ján
FERENCÁK (Slovak Národná rada), Telmo FARIA (Portugal Assembleia da República),
Vincent BLONDEL (Belgium Senaat/Sénat), Edward ZAMMIT LEWIS (Maltese Kamra tad-
Deputati), Dimitris KAIRIDIS (Greek Vouli ton Ellinon), Edmunds CEPURITIS (Latvian
Saeima), Pere Joan PONS (Spanish Cortes Generales), Jasna VOJNIĆ (Croatian Hrvatski
sabor), Caroline VAN DER PLAS (Dutch Tweede Kamer), Peeter TALI (Estonian Riigikogu),
Dimitar GARDEV (Bulgarian Narodno sabranie), Mirela FURTUNĂ (Romanian Camera
Deputaţilor), Henrik MØLLER (Danish Folketing), Ivanna KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE
(Ukrainian Verkovna Rada), Jovan SUBOTIĆ (Montenegrin Skupština Crne Gore), Burhan
KAYATÜRK (Turkish Büyük Millet Meclisi), Akos UJHELI (Serbian Narodna skupština), Ina
COȘERU (Moldovan Parlamentul Republicii), Igor ZDRAVKOVSKI (North Macedonian
Sobranie), Kreshnik ÇOLLAKU (Albanian Kuvendi i Shqipërisë), Lord Peter RICKETTS
(United Kingdom House of Lords), Christian TYBRING-GJEDDE (Norwegian Storting).
SESSION II - A POLICY-BASED BUDGET OF THE EU RESPONSIVELY TACKLING
THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
The second session was co-chaired by Ms Agnieszka POMASKA, Chair of the European
Union Affairs Committee of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland and Mr Tomasz GRODZKI,
Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Senate of the Republic of Poland.
The keynote speech was given by Mr Janusz LEWANDOWSKI, Vice-Chair of the Committee
on Budgets of the European Parliament and former member of the European Commission
responsible for the budget (2009-2014). In his speech, Mr LEWANDOWSKI underlined the
importance of a policy based budget, especially in the context of severe natural disasters such
as floods, fire and drought. He pointed to the findings of the European Environmental Agency
that such extreme weather anomalies are to be expected in the future. He added that the main
responsibility lies with the Member States with the view to preparedness. Elaborating on the
challenges for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034 he identified a
500 billion euro gap in defence spending, and pointed to question marks regarding the future
of cohesion policy, enlargement, and the repayment of the loans financing NextGenerationEU.
Mr LEWANDOWSKI advocated a flexible post-2027 multiannual budget in order for the EU
to be able to respond more effectively to unforeseen natural disasters.
During the ensuing debate, 25 speakers took the floor.
Members stressed the importance of a future budget which continues to address both the effects
and causes of climate change, while also pointing to other important budgetary considerations,
such as the need to increase defence spending and the importance of continued efficient
cohesion policy. Many participants underlined that the next MFF should contain enough
flexibility to address major crises. Some chairpersons advocated for the strengthening of
civilian protection mechanisms and the reform at the Common Agriculture Policy.
The following speakers took the floor during this debate:
Zoltán TESSELY (Hungarian Országgyűlés), Sven SIMON (European Parliament), Jacek
WŁOSOWICZ (Polish Senat), Peter DE ROOVER (Belgian Chambre des
représentants/Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigers), Anton HOFREITER (German
Bundestag), Caroline VAN DER PLAS (Dutch Tweede Kamer), Giulio TERZI DI
SANT'AGATA (Italian Senato della Repubblica), Jelena MILOŠ (Croatian Sabor), Francisco
José CONDE (Spanish Cortes Generales), Heikki AUTTO (Finnish Eduskunta), Jean-François
RAPIN (French Senate), Pere Joan PONS (Spanish Cortes Generales), Edward ZAMMIT
LEWIS (Maltese Kamra tad-Deputati), Pieyre-Alexandre ANGLADE (French Assemblée
nationale), Vincent BLONDEL (Belgian Sénat/Senaat), Matilda ERNKRANS (Swedish
Riksdag), Rainer ROBRA (German Bundesrat), Peeter TALI (Estonian Riigikogu), Dimitris
KAIRIDIS (Greek Vouli ton Ellinon), Ivanna KLYMPUSH-TSINTSADZE (Ukrainan
Verkhovna Rada), Burhan KAYATÜRK (Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi), Jovan SUBOTIĆ
(Montenegrin Skupština Crne Gore), Ina COȘERU (Moldovan Parlamentul Republicii),
Aleksandra TOMIC (Serbian Narodna skupština), Jale Nur SÜLLÜ (Türkiye Büyük Millet
Meclisi).
CLOSING SESSION
Mr GRODZKI expressed his thanks to delegations for having taken an active part in the
discussions. Concluding, he stated that Europe is a partner in the world, not a servant or a
poorer brother, and expressed the belief that historical experiences and current events will
mobilize Europe to face contemporary challenges. He emphasized the role of parliamentarians
in leading Europe towards an optimistic future. Ms POMASKA invited delegations to the
LXXIII COSAC in Warsaw on 8-10 June 2025.


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Referat fra COSAC-formandsmøde og Trojka-møde 26-27/1-25 i
Warszawa
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mødet, der blev afholdt den 26.-27. januar 2025 i Warszawa.
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