Rules of Procedure of the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of Parliaments of the European Union
Date: 2003-05-06
Institutions: European Parliament, National parliaments
Subjects: EU Member State, EU body, European Union, Presidency of the Council of the EU, conference proceedings, national parliament

1.10.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

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I

(Information)

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Rules of Procedure of the Conference of Community and European Affairs Committees of
Parliaments of the European Union

(2003/C 235/01)

These Rules of Procedure are designed to facilitate and improve
the Conference of Community and European
the work of
Affairs Committees of Parliaments of
the European Union,
hereinafter referred to as COSAC, established in Paris 16-17
November 1989.

They may be applied to the meetings of other parliamentary
Committees convened by the Parliament holding the Presidency
of the EU.

On the basis of the XXVII COSAC in Copenhagen from 16-18
October 2002 it was decided at
the extraordinary XXVIII
COSAC in Brussels on 27 January 2003 to strengthen
co-operation between the national parliaments in the EU, to
extend the rules of procedure with new rules for voting and to
effective parliamentary scrutiny of
for
adopt guidelines
issues
connection with
in
governments
(Copenhagen Parliamentary Guidelines).

Community

The members of COSAC intend to work for the implemen-
in
tation of
accordance with their own parliamentary practice (1). The
guidelines are laid down in a separate declaration.

the Copenhagen Parliamentary Guidelines

These Rules of Procedure, which were adopted by the XXIX
COSAC in Athens on 5-6 May 2003, replace the rules of
procedure that were adopted in Helsinki on 11-12 October
1999.

Contributions made by COSAC shall in no way bind national
parliaments or prejudge their position.

2. FREQUENCY AND DATES OF MEETINGS

2.1. Ordinary meetings

the Council of

One ordinary meeting of COSAC shall be held during each
the European Union taking
Presidency of
account of different parliamentary practices of Member
States, of election periods and of the dates of public holidays
in Member States. The date of the next meeting shall be fixed
and announced by the date of the preceding meeting at the
latest.

2.2. Extraordinary meetings

if deemed
Extraordinary meetings of COSAC shall be held,
necessary, by an absolute majority of the Chairpersons of the
Community and European Affairs Committees of the national
parliaments and of
the European
Parliament.

the appropriate body of

2.3. Meetings of the Chairpersons

A preparatory meeting of the Chairpersons of the Community
and European Affairs Committees and of the representative of
the European Parliament shall be held prior to meetings of
COSAC,
in agreement with the Presidential Troika. Each
delegation consists of two members of its Parliament.

1. TASKS AND COMPETENCES FOR COSAC

2.4. Extraordinary meetings of the Chairpersons

COSAC enables a regular exchange of views, without preju-
dicing the competences of the parliamentary bodies of the
European Union.

The Protocol on the Role of National Parliaments in the
European Union to the Amsterdam Treaty amending the
Treaty on the European Union, the Treaties establishing the
European Communities and certain related acts, empower
COSAC to make any contribution it deems appropriate for
the attention of the institutions of the European Union and
to examine Union legislative activities, proposals and initiatives.

(1) As stated in the protocol on national Parliaments it is up to each
Parliament to decide the extent to which the Copenhagen Parlia-
mentary Guidelines should be implemented.

Extraordinary meetings of the Chairpersons of the Community
and European Affairs Committees and the appropriate body of
if proposed, by the
the European Parliament shall be held,
Presidency, after consulting the Presidential Troika, or,
if
deemed necessary, by an absolute majority of the Chairpersons
of the Community and European Affairs Committees of the
National Parliaments and of
the
European Parliament.

the appropriate body of

2.5. The Presidential Troika of COSAC

The Presidential Troika of COSAC consists of the Presidency,
and the
the preceding Presidency,
European Parliament.
two
members of its Parliament.

the next Presidency,
Each delegation consists of

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2.6. Working groups

5. CONVOCATION

COSAC may decide to set up a working group to study a
particular issue linked with the activities of
the European
Union. Such a working group shall also be set up, if deemed
necessary, by an absolute majority of the Chairpersons of the
Community and European Affairs Committees of the national
the European
the appropriate body of
parliaments and of
and
Parliament.
of
the
European Affairs Committee of
Member State holding the Presidency shall act as the Chair-
person of the working group. The Secretariat of the Parliament
of the Member State holding the Presidency shall provide the
secretariat for the working group.

the Community
the Parliament of

The Chairperson

2.7. Planning of the meetings

COSAC shall establish a rolling,
meetings.

long term, calendar of its

3. PLACE OF MEETINGS

Meetings shall take place in the Member State holding the
Presidency. Extraordinary meetings, meetings of
the Chair-
the Troika and meetings of working
persons, meetings of
groups may be held elsewhere.

4. COMPOSITION

4.1. Ordinary and extraordinary meetings

Each national Parliament shall be represented by a maximum
of six members of
its Community and European Affairs
Committee(s). The European Parliament shall be represented
by
the
composition of its own delegation.

six Members. Each Parliament

shall determine

4.2. Observers
countries

from the

Parliaments

of

applicant

Three observers from the parliaments of each applicant country
shall be invited to ordinary and extraordinary meetings.

4.3. Other observers, specialists and special guests

The Presidency shall invite observers from the General Secre-
tariat of the Council of the European Union and the European
Commission, and it may invite observers from the embassies of
the Member States of
the European Union, and, after
consulting the Presidential Troika, specialists and special guests.

Ordinary meetings and meetings of the Chairpersons and of
working groups shall be convened by the Secretariat of the
Parliament of the Member State holding the Presidency.

Extraordinary meetings shall be convened by the Secretariat of
the Parliament of the Member State where the meeting takes
place.

6. DESIGNATION OF MEETINGS

The designation of ordinary and extraordinary meetings shall
be ‘Conference of
the Community and European Affairs
Committees (of the European Union's national parliaments of
the Member States and the European Parliament) — COSAC’,
with the name preceded by the number of the meeting in
sequence, followed by the date and place of the meeting.

7. AGENDA

Before the last ordinary meeting of each year

7.1.
the
indicate the subjects they propose be dealt
delegations shall
with the following year. This matter shall be discussed at the
end of
the meeting. The Presidential Troika, paying due
account to the provisions of Part II of the Protocol to the
Amsterdam Treaty on the Role of National Parliaments in the
European Union, proposes,
each
Presidency, one or several subjects drawn from the working
programme of
the
European Parliament, and the European Commission, or from
proposals made during the meeting referred to above.

the European Union,

the beginning of

the Council of

at

7.1.A.
derived from COSAC's
information,
mentary scrutiny.

The principal business on every draft Agenda shall be
exchanging
role as a body for
in particular on the practical aspects of parlia-

7.2.
A draft agenda shall be drawn up by the Chairperson of
the Community and European Affairs Committee of the host
parliament, after consulting Chairpersons of the Community
and European Affairs Committees and the representative of
the European Parliament. National delegations may propose
to the Presidency that a specific item is put on the agenda.

7.3.

The meeting itself shall decide on its final agenda.

4.4. Public access to meetings

Meetings of COSAC shall be public, unless otherwise
determined.

The national delegations may send documents relating
the host

8.1.
to items on the agenda to the secretariat of
parliament.

8. PREPARATION OF MEETINGS

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The national delegation of the Member State holding
8.2.
the Presidency may draw up discussion documents for the
conference.

9. LANGUAGES

Each delegation is

9.1.
document, which it submits into English or French.

responsible for

translating any

Participating

9.2.
conference
parliaments will
documents in English or French. Each parliament is responsible
for translation into its national language.

receive

Simultaneous interpretation into the official languages

9.3.
of the EU is provided in the meetings.

9.4.
The contributions of COSAC are drawn up in a single
original in English and French, each of these texts being equally
authentic.

10. COSAC CONTRIBUTIONS

10.1.
COSAC may address contributions to the institutions
of the European Union pursuant to the Amsterdam Treaty
Protocol on the Role of National Parliaments in the European
Union.

that

a
Each national delegation may propose
10.2.
Contribution be adopted by COSAC. A draft contribution
shall be drawn up if proposed by the Presidency, after
consulting the Presidential Troika, or if deemed necessary by
an absolute majority of the Chairpersons of the Community
and European Affairs Committees of the national parliaments
and of the appropriate body of the European Parliament, or if
decided in a meeting of COSAC.

The draft of a contribution shall be communicated to
10.3.
the delegations in good time before the relevant meeting of
COSAC to give them a reasonable period for scrutiny and
remarks.

10.4.
The final draft of a contribution shall be prepared at
the preparatory meeting of the Chairpersons preceding the
relevant meeting of COSAC. It shall embrace the observations
and remarks by all delegations, including possible declarations
concerning the vote.

10.5.
In general COSAC shall seek to adopt contributions by
broad consensus. If this is not possible, contributions shall be
adopted with a qualified majority of at least ¾ of the votes cast.
The majority of ¾ of the votes cast must at the same time
constitute at least half of all votes.

10.6.

Each delegation has two votes.

10.7.
Official Journal of the European Union.

After adoption, the contribution is published in the

11. ROLE OF THE PRESIDENCY

11.1.
The Community and European Affairs Committee of
the Member State holding the Presidency of the Council of the
European Union shall hold the Presidency of COSAC during
that Presidency.

11.2.
documents for the meetings.

The secretariat of the host Parliament shall prepare the

11.3.
the Community and European
Affairs Committee of the host parliament shall open the debate.

The Chairperson of

The Chairperson of

11.4.
the Community and European
the host parliament shall propose a
Affairs Committee of
timetable for the meeting and the length of speeches, which
shall be four minutes, unless the meeting determines otherwise.

11.5.
brief minutes of the meeting.

The Secretariat of the host parliament shall draw up

The Chairperson of

11.6.
the Community and European
Affairs Committee of the host parliament shall present the
debate's conclusions, as drawn up by the Presidential Troika.

The

secretariat of

the parliament holding

11.7.
Presidency shall provide the secretariat
its
COSAC during
parliaments and of
assistance.

the
for the activities of
secretariats of national
the European Parliament shall provide

term. The

12. DEBATE CONCLUSIONS

If the meeting decides to issue a communiqué, a draft, annexed
with possible contributions adopted, shall be drawn up by the
Presidential Troika.

13. RECIPIENTS OF COMMUNIQUÉS

Communiqués shall be sent to the parliaments of the Member
States and the European Parliament, to the Council of the
European Union, and to the European Commission by the
secretariat of the host parliament.

14. REVISION OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE

14.1.
Proposals for a revision of the Rules of Procedure
must be sent, in writing, from one or several delegations of
one or several parliaments to all national parliaments of the
Member States and to the European Parliament at
least a
month before the meeting of COSAC.

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Proposals for a revision of the rules should be put on
14.2.
the agenda of the first meeting of COSAC following the pres-
entation of the proposal.

14.3.
the delegations present
delegations shall not prevent the adoption of the proposal.

Adoption of the proposal requires unanimity between
the meeting. Abstentions by

at

14.4.

Quorum is at least 2/3 of the delegations.

14.5.

Each delegation has one vote.

15. ENTRY INTO FORCE

These Rules of Procedure shall enter into force as soon as they
are published in the Official Journal of the European Union. They
are drawn up in a single original in English and French, each of
these texts being equally authentic.

The text of these Rules of Procedure shall, for the authenti-
cation thereof, be drawn up in Danish, Dutch, Finnish,
German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. The
translations shall be agreed between the national parliaments
using those languages and the European Parliament. In any
question relating to the interpretation of these Rules only the
English and French versions shall have official status.

Declaration by the European Parliament on Rule 10.5 of the Rules of Procedure

The European Parliament can abstain in any vote on a contribution which is also addressed to it.

APPENDICES