This evening I accompanied Michael Smyth, the President of the EESC’s ‘ECO’ Section, to a working dinner organised by the European Parliament and its new President, Martin Schulz, in the context of interparliamentary dialogue on the European Semester for Economic Policy Coordination. Pervenche Beres launched the debate. Other speakers included Martin Schulz himself, MEPs Sharon Bowles, Elmar Brok, Alain Lamassoure, European Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski and Bill Cash, MP. ‘Bill Cash?’ I hear you say. Yes, a delegation from the House of Commons was present and participated actively in the debate. Eurosceptic Bill Cash may be, but where all the participants in the meeting agreed was that, whilst the current economic and financial situation requires urgent measures, democratic parliamentary oversight should be fully asserted.