Europe of the 'small' topics

More than 75% of legislation in EU Member States originates from Brussels. It is important that the citizens are aware that legislation from Brussels not only covers very visible topics like the euro & finance, foreign policy or defense, but also technical and specific topics in the area of consumers and markets, like air quality, water and food.

Basically, it needs to be clear that Europe is not only about 'big' topics like EU funds or Schengen, the EU is also the place for activities on intricate technical issues, or 'small' topics. Elected people and not-elected national and European public servants continuously try to contribute to the quality of life for us and our families through legislation and policies on the European level.

The so-called EU standards and policies did not appear out of nowhere. They are the result of tough negotiation processes on several levels – from technical experts until the adaptation by the political level. And I want to highlight that we also must allocate attention to these 'small' topics, since this is affecting the daily life of the citizens.

It's important to bring these topics to the citizens. Moreover, it is imperative that the formulation of these legislations and policies is done in cooperation with relevant stakeholders, both national and European. We have to take into account their knowledge, skills and legitimate sectorial interest and any technical alternatives, which will contribute to a balanced political decision making.

Dan LUCA / Brussels