With the participation of delegates from 20 national parliaments of EU member states, as well as the European Parliament (EP), the House of Representatives, and the EGOV unit of the EP, a joint seminar is about to be organized on June 8th and 9th in Nicosia.  

The seminar aims to foster capacity development and facilitate the exchange of best practices and expertise at an administrative level, focusing on European Semester matters and broader issues of EU economic governance.

Opening remarks will be delivered by Tasoula Ieronymidou, the Director-General of the House of Representatives, and Kajus Hagelstam, the Head of the EGOV Unit of the EP.

Within the framework of the seminar, three thematic sessions will be held. The first one will delve into the current challenges and progress achieved in implementing the National Recovery and Resilience Plans in light of the integration of the "REPowerEU" initiative.

Key speakers will include Yasemin Canbay from the General Secretariat for Recovery and David Lopes, Director of the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission, Juan Ignacio Gonzales Bastero, Director of the European Court of Auditors, and Anthoula Charalambous-Savvidou, Director of the Directorate for Recovery and Resilience at the Ministry of Finance.

Representatives from the Portuguese Parliament, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, and the German Federal Parliament will present the best parliamentary practices of their respective countries regarding the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans.

The second thematic session will focus on the multiple economic implications of the Russian invasion in Ukraine and the subsequent national and European responses, with key speakers being Mario Panagidis, Director-General of the Ministry of Energy, Trade, and Industry, and Agi Chrysostomou-Lapathioti, Economic Director of the Directorate of Financial Services at the Ministry of Finance.

Moreover, the third thematic session will address the legislative proposals of the European Commission regarding the ongoing reform of the EU's economic governance framework, with Gilles Mourre, Head of the Fiscal Policy and Supervision Unit of the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission, as the main speaker.

Additionally, the role of independent fiscal authorities in the context of EU economic governance will be examined, particularly in terms of supporting parliamentary oversight and enhancing national ownership of fiscal rules. Speakers on this topic will include Michalis Persianis, President of the Fiscal Council of Cyprus, and Dr. Roel Beetsma, Member of the European Fiscal Board.

The estimated impact of the reform of the EU's economic governance framework on the national parliaments of EU member states and the EP will be thoroughly discussed. 

Joint seminars serve as pivotal platforms for fostering cooperation and enhancing the exchange of knowledge regarding best practices among member states. These seminars create opportunities for EU nations to come together, share their experiences, and learn from one another. By pooling their expertise and insights, member states can collectively tackle common challenges, promote effective policies, and identify innovative approaches to address pressing issues.