P8_TA(2019)0138

Extending Rule 159 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure until the end of the ninth parliamentary term

European Parliament decision of 12 March 2019 extending Rule 159 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure until the end of the ninth parliamentary term (2019/2545(RSO))

(2021/C 23/30)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Article 342 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

— having regard to Council Regulation No 1 of 15 April 1958 determining the languages to be used by the European Economic Community (1),

— having regard to Council Regulations (EC) No 920/2005 (2) and (EU, Euratom) 2015/2264 (3),

— having regard to the Code of Conduct on Multilingualism adopted by the Bureau on 16 June 2014,

— having regard to its decision of 26 February 2014 (4) extending the applicability of Rule 159 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure until the end of the eighth parliamentary term and the subsequent decisions of the Bureau extending the derogation from Rule 158 until the end of this term,

— having regard to Rules 158 and 159 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, pursuant to Rule 158, all Parliament’s documents are to be drawn up in the official languages, and all Members have the right to speak in Parliament in the official language of their choice, with interpretation being provided into the other official languages;

B. whereas, under Rule 159, derogations from Rule 158 are permissible until the end of the eighth parliamentary term if and to the extent that, despite adequate precautions having been taken, the linguists required for an official language are not available in sufficient numbers; whereas, with respect to each official language for which a derogation is considered necessary, the Bureau, on a proposal from the Secretary-General and having due regard to the temporary special arrangements adopted by the Council on the basis of the Treaties concerning the drafting of legal acts, is required to ascertain whether the conditions are fulfilled and to review its decision every six months;

C. whereas Council Regulations (EC) No 920/2005 and (EU, Euratom) 2015/2264 provide for a gradual restriction of the derogation in respect of Irish and, in the absence of another Council Regulation stating otherwise, the lapse of that derogation as from 1 January 2022;

D. whereas, despite all adequate precautions, capacity in Croatian, Irish and Maltese is not expected to be such as to allow a full interpretation service in those languages from the beginning of the ninth parliamentary term;

E. whereas, despite sustained and continuous interinstitutional efforts and considerable progress, the number of qualified translators is still expected to be so limited as regards Irish that, for the foreseeable future, full coverage of that language under Rule 158 cannot be assured; whereas, pursuant to Council Regulations (EC) No 920/2005 and (EU, Euratom) 2015/2264, a growing number of legal acts has to be translated into Irish, which reduces the possibility to translate other parliamentary documents into that language;

F. whereas Rule 159(4) provides that, on the basis of a reasoned recommendation from the Bureau, Parliament may decide, at the end of the parliamentary term, to extend that Rule;

G. whereas, in the light of the foregoing, the Bureau has recommended that Rule 159 be extended until the end of the ninth parliamentary term;

1. Decides to extend Rule 159 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure until the end of the ninth parliamentary term;

2. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council and the Commission for information.

(1) OJ 17, 6.10.1958, p. 385.

(2) Council Regulation (EC) No 920/2005 of 13 June 2005 amending Regulation No 1 of 15 April 1958 determining the language to be used by the European Economic Community and Regulation No 1 of 15 April 1958 determining the language to be used by the European Atomic Energy Community and introducing temporary derogation measures from those Regulations (OJ L 156, 18.6.2005, p. 3).

(3) Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2015/2264 of 3 December 2015 extending and phasing out the temporary derogation measures from Regulation No 1 of 15 April 1958 determining the languages to be used by the European Economic Community and Regulation No 1 of 15 April 1958 determining the languages to be used by the European Atomic Energy Community introduced by Regulation (EC) No 920/2005 (OJ L 322, 8.12.2015, p. 1).

(4) OJ C 285, 29.8.2017, p. 164.