At the invitation of the Slovakian EU presidency, the chairpersons of the Confer-ence of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union, candidate countries and partner states, in particular the EFTA/EEA coun-tries, will meet in Bratislava on 11 July. Miroslav Lajčák, the Slovakian foreign min-ister, will set out the priorities of the Slovakian presidency of the EU Council, while Marianne Thyssen, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Mobility, will speak about challenges in the EU’s cohesion policy.

​Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP/SG), member of the Council of States, and Kathy Riklin (CVP/ZH), member of the National Council, will represent the EFTA/EU delegation at the meeting of chairpersons of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) in Bratislava on 11 July. At the meeting, representatives from the parliaments of EU member states, candidate countries and partner states, in particular the EFTA/EEA countries, will discuss the priorities of the Slovakian EU Council presidency, focusing on the topics of economic growth, the digital single market and migration. Discussions will also cover the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the creation of a European Energy Union.

During its presidency, Slovakia aims to push forward with the deepening of the internal market, which should contribute to improving competitiveness. Particular importance will be given to the creation of a digital single market. In the course of the current presidency, efforts will be made to break down barriers to the digital economy, simplify the use of electronic services and market access, improve the availability of digital content and ensure a high level of consumer protection.

In the area of migration, priority will be given to protecting the EU’s external borders and the integrity of the Schengen area. In this context, the Smart Borders Package will be consolidated. The package, which aims to fight irregular immigration and speed up the processing of passengers using modern technology, is being developed with the involvement of EU member states and the Schengen associated states. Switzerland is taking part in this work and can submit its views.

COSAC was established in Madrid in 1989 as an informal platform for national parliaments. Its role was formally recognised in 1997 in a protocol on the role of national parliaments in the European Union of the Treaty of Amsterdam, and today serves as a valuable platform for intensifying inter-parliamentary dialogue and representing interests. Switzerland has been attending the biannual meetings of COSAC chairpersons since 2015.