European Parliament decision of 15 January 2014 on the powers and responsibilities of the standing committees (2013/2996(RSO))
Date: 2014-01-15
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: EP Committee, rules of procedure








C_2016482EN.01016001.xml










23.12.2016   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 482/160





P7_TA(2014)0018
Powers and responsibilities of the standing committees
European Parliament decision of 15 January 2014 on the powers and responsibilities of the standing committees (2013/2996(RSO))
(2016/C 482/27)

The European Parliament,






—


having regard to the proposal by the Conference of Presidents,










—


having regard to Rule 183 of its Rules of Procedure,












1.


Decides to replace Annex VII to its Rules of Procedure by the following:
‘Annex VII — Powers and responsibilities of standing committees

I.   Committee on Foreign Affairs

Committee responsible for the promotion, implementation and monitoring of the Union’s foreign policy as regards:






1.


the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and the common security and defence policy (CSDP). In this context the committee is assisted by a subcommittee on security and defence;










2.


relations with other Union institutions and bodies, the UNO and other international organisations and interparliamentary assemblies for matters falling under its responsibility;










3.


oversight of the European External Action Service;










4.


the strengthening of political relations with third countries by means of comprehensive cooperation and assistance programmes or international agreements such as association and partnership agreements;










5.


the opening, monitoring and concluding of negotiations concerning the accession of European States to the Union;










6.


all legislation, programming and scrutiny of actions carried out under the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, the European Neighbourhood Instrument, the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace and the Partnership Instrument for cooperation with third countries, and the policies underpinning them;










7.


the monitoring and follow-up of, inter alia, the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), in particular with regard to ENP Annual Progress Reports;










8.


issues concerning democracy, the rule of law, human rights, including the rights of minorities, in third countries and the principles of international law. In this context the committee is assisted by a subcommittee on human rights, which should ensure coherence between all the Union’s external policies and its human rights policy. Without prejudice to the relevant rules, members from other committees and bodies with responsibilities in this field shall be invited to attend the meetings of the subcommittee.










9.


Parliament’s involvement in election observation missions, where appropriate in cooperation with other relevant committees and delegations;




The committee provides political oversight to, and coordinates the work of, joint parliamentary committees and parliamentary cooperation committees as well as that of the interparliamentary delegations and ad hoc delegations falling within its remit.

II.   Committee on Development

Committee responsible for:






1.


the promotion, implementation and monitoring of the development and cooperation policy of the Union, notably:






(a)


political dialogue with developing countries, bilaterally and in the relevant international organisations and interparliamentary fora,










(b)


aid to, and cooperation agreements with, developing countries, notably oversight of effective aid funding and evaluation of output, including in relation to poverty eradication,










(c)


monitoring of the relationship between the policies of the Member States and those implemented at Union level,










(d)


promotion of democratic values, good governance and human rights in developing countries,










(e)


the implementation, monitoring and advancement of policy coherence with regard to development policy;














2.


all legislation, programming and scrutiny of actions carried out under the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI), the European Development Fund (EDF) — in close cooperation with national parliaments — and the Humanitarian Aid Instrument, as well as all matters related to humanitarian aid in developing countries and the policy underpinning them;










3.


matters relating to the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement and relations with the relevant bodies;










4.


matters relating to Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs);










5.


Parliament’s involvement in election observation missions, when appropriate in cooperation with other relevant committees and delegations.




The committee coordinates the work of the interparliamentary delegations and ad hoc delegations falling within its remit.

III.   Committee on International Trade

Committee responsible for matters relating to the establishment, implementation and monitoring of the Union’s common commercial policy and its external economic relations, in particular:






1.


financial, economic and trade relations with third countries and regional organisations;










2.


the common external tariff and trade facilitation as well as the external aspects of customs provisions and management;










3.


the opening, monitoring, conclusion and follow-up of bilateral, multilateral and plurilateral trade agreements governing economic, trade and investment relations with third countries and regional organisations;










4.


measures of technical harmonisation or standardisation in fields covered by instruments of international law;










5.


relations with the relevant international organisations and international fora on trade-related matters, and with organisations promoting regional economic and commercial integration outside the Union;










6.


relations with the WTO, including its parliamentary dimension.




The committee liaises with the relevant interparliamentary and ad hoc delegations for the economic and trade aspects of relations with third countries.

IV.   Committee on Budgets

Committee responsible for:






1.


the multiannual financial framework of the Union’s revenue and expenditure and the Union’s system of own resources;










2.


Parliament’s budgetary prerogatives, namely the budget of the Union as well as the negotiation and implementation of interinstitutional agreements in this field;










3.


Parliament’s estimates according to the procedure defined in the Rules;










4.


the budget of the decentralised bodies;










5.


the financial activities of the European Investment Bank which are not part of European economic governance;










6.


the budgetisation of the European Development Fund, without prejudice to the powers of the committee responsible for the ACP-EU Partnership Agreement;










7.


financial implications and compatibility with the multiannual financial framework of all Union acts, without prejudice to the powers of the relevant committees;










8.


keeping track of and assessing the implementation of the current budget notwithstanding Rule 78(1), transfers of appropriations, procedures relating to the establishment plans, administrative appropriations and opinions concerning buildings-related projects with significant financial implications;










9.


the Financial Regulation, excluding matters relating to the implementation, management and control of the budget.





V.   Committee on Budgetary Control

Committee responsible for:






1.


control of the implementation of the budget of the Union and of the European Development Fund, and the decisions on discharge to be taken by Parliament, including the internal discharge procedure and all other measures accompanying or implementing such decisions;










2.


the closure, presenting and auditing of the accounts and balance sheets of the Union, its institutions and any bodies financed by it, including the establishment of appropriations to be carried over and the settling of balances;










3.


control of the financial activities of the European Investment Bank;










4.


monitoring of the cost-effectiveness of the various forms of Union financing in the implementation of the Union’s policies, involving, upon the Committee on Budgetary Control’s request, the specialised committees and acting, upon the Committee on Budgetary Control’s request, in cooperation with the specialised committees for the examination of special reports of the Court of Auditors;










5.


relations with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), consideration of fraud and irregularities in the implementation of the budget of the Union, measures aimed at preventing and prosecuting such cases, the strict protection of the Union’s financial interests and the relevant actions by the European Public Prosecutor in this field;










6.


relations with the Court of Auditors, the appointment of its members and consideration of its reports;










7.


the Financial Regulation as far as the implementation, management and control of the budget are concerned.





VI.   Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

Committee responsible for:






1.


the economic and monetary policies of the Union, the functioning of Economic and Monetary Union and the European monetary and financial system (including relations with the relevant institutions or organisations);










2.


the free movement of capital and payments (cross-border payments, single payment area, balance of payments, capital movements and borrowing and lending policy, control of movements of capital originating in third countries, measures to encourage the export of the Union’s capital);










3.


the international monetary and financial system (including relations with financial and monetary institutions and organisations);










4.


rules on competition and State or public aid;










5.


tax provisions;










6.


the regulation and supervision of financial services, institutions and markets including financial reporting, auditing, accounting rules, corporate governance and other company law matters specifically concerning financial services;










7.


the relevant financial activities of the European Investment Bank as part of European economic governance in the eurozone.





VII.   Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

Committee responsible for:






1.


employment policy and all aspects of social policy including working conditions, social security, social inclusion and social protection;










2.


workers' rights;










3.


health and safety measures at the workplace;










4.


the European Social Fund;










5.


vocational training policy, including professional qualifications;










6.


the free movement of workers and pensioners;










7.


social dialogue;










8.


all forms of discrimination at the workplace and in the labour market except those based on sex;










9.


relations with:






—


the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop),










—


the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions,










—


the European Training Foundation,










—


the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work;




as well as relations with other relevant Union bodies and international organisations.





VIII.   Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Committee responsible for:






1.


environmental policy and environmental protection measures, in particular concerning:






(a)


climate change,










(b)


air, soil and water pollution, waste management and recycling, dangerous substances and preparations, noise levels and the protection of biodiversity,










(c)


sustainable development,










(d)


international and regional measures and agreements aimed at protecting the environment,










(e)


restoration of environmental damage,










(f)


civil protection,










(g)


the European Environment Agency,










(h)


the European Chemicals Agency;














2.


public health, in particular:






(a)


programmes and specific actions in the field of public health,










(b)


pharmaceutical and cosmetic products,










(c)


health aspects of bioterrorism,










(d)


the European Medicines Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control;














3.


food safety issues, including in particular:






(a)


the labelling and safety of foodstuffs,










(b)


veterinary legislation concerning protection against risks to human health; public health checks on foodstuffs and food production systems,










(c)


the European Food Safety Authority and the European Food and Veterinary Office.









IX.   Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Committee responsible for:






1.


the Union’s industrial policy and related measures, and the application of new technologies, including measures related to SMEs;










2.


the Union’s research and innovation policy, including science and technology as well as the dissemination and exploitation of research findings;










3.


European space policy;










4.


the activities of the Joint Research Centre, the European Research Council, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and the Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, as well as JET, ITER and other projects in the same area;










5.


Union measures relating to energy policy in general and in the context of the establishment and functioning of the internal energy market, including measures relating to:






(a)


the security of energy supply in the Union,










(b)


the promotion of energy efficiency and energy saving and the development of new and renewable forms of energy










(c)


the promotion of interconnection of energy networks and energy efficiency including the establishment and development of trans-European networks in the energy infrastructure sector;














6.


the Euratom Treaty and Euratom Supply Agency; nuclear safety, decommissioning and waste disposal in the nuclear sector;










7.


the information society, information technology and communications networks and services, including technologies and security aspects and the establishment and development of trans-European networks in the telecommunication infrastructure sector as well as the activities of the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA).





X.   Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Committee responsible for:






1.


coordination at Union level of national legislation in the sphere of the internal market and for the customs union, in particular:






(a)


the free movement of goods including the harmonisation of technical standards,










(b)


the right of establishment,










(c)


freedom to provide services except in the financial and postal sectors;














2.


the functioning of the Single Market, including measures aimed at the identification and removal of potential obstacles to the implementation of the Single Market, including the Digital Single Market;










3.


the promotion and protection of the economic interests of consumers, except for public health and food safety issues;










4.


policy and legislation regarding the enforcement of Single Market rules and consumer rights.





XI.   Committee on Transport and Tourism

Committee responsible for:






1.


matters relating to the development of a common policy for rail, road, inland waterway, maritime and air transport, in particular:






(a)


common rules applicable to transport within the European Union,










(b)


the establishment and development of trans-European networks in the area of transport infrastructure,










(c)


the provision of transport services and relations in the field of transport with third countries,










(d)


transport safety,










(e)


relations with international transport bodies and organisations;










(f)


the European Maritime Safety Agency, the European Railway Agency, the European Aviation Safety Agency and the SESAR Joint Undertaking;














2.


postal services;










3.


tourism.





XII.   Committee on Regional Development

Committee responsible for:






1.


the operation and development of the Union’s regional development and cohesion policy, as established in the Treaties;










2.


the European Regional Development Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the other instruments of the Union’s regional policy,










3.


assessment of the impact of other Union policies on economic and social cohesion,










4.


coordination of the Union’s structural instruments,










5.


the urban dimension of the cohesion policy,










6.


outermost regions and islands as well as trans-frontier and interregional cooperation,










7.


relations with the Committee of the Regions, interregional cooperation organisations and local and regional authorities.





XIII.   Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development

Committee responsible for:






1.


the operation and development of the common agricultural policy;










2.


rural development, including the activities of the relevant financial instruments;










3.


legislation on:






(a)


veterinary and plant-health matters and animal feeding stuffs provided such measures are not intended to protect against risks to human health,










(b)


animal husbandry and welfare;














4.


improvement of the quality of agricultural products;










5.


supplies of agricultural raw materials;










6.


the Community Plant Variety Office;










7.


forestry and agroforestry.





XIV.   Committee on Fisheries

Committee responsible for:






1.


the operation and development of the common fisheries policy and its management;










2.


the conservation of fishery resources, the management of fisheries and fleets exploiting such resources and marine and applied fisheries research;










3.


the common organisation of the market in fishery and aquaculture products and the processing and marketing thereof;










4.


structural policy in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, including the financial instruments and funds for fisheries guidance to support these sectors;










5.


the integrated maritime policy as regards fishing activities;










6.


sustainable fisheries partnership agreements, regional fisheries organisations and the implementation of international obligations in the field of fisheries.





XV.   Committee on Culture and Education

Committee responsible for:






1.


the cultural aspects of the European Union, and in particular:






(a)


improving the knowledge and dissemination of culture,










(b)


the protection and promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity,










(c)


the conservation and safeguarding of cultural heritage, cultural exchanges and artistic creation;














2.


the Union’s education policy, including the European higher education area, the promotion of the system of European schools and lifelong learning;










3.


audiovisual policy and the cultural and educational aspects of the information society;










4.


youth policy;










5.


the development of a sports and leisure policy;










6.


information and media policy;










7.


cooperation with third countries in the areas of culture and education and relations with the relevant international organisations and institutions.





XVI.   Committee on Legal Affairs

Committee responsible for:






1.


the interpretation, application and monitoring of Union law and compliance of Union acts with primary law, notably the choice of legal bases and respect for the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality;










2.


the interpretation and application of international law, in so far as the European Union is affected;










3.


better law-making and the simplification of Union law;










4.


the legal protection of Parliament’s rights and prerogatives, including its involvement in actions before the Court of Justice of the European Union;










5.


Union acts which affect the Member States’ legal order, namely in the fields of:






(a)


civil and commercial law,










(b)


company law,










(c)


intellectual property law,










(d)


procedural law;














6.


measures concerning judicial and administrative cooperation in civil matters;










7.


environmental liability and sanctions against environmental crime;










8.


ethical questions related to new technologies, applying the procedure with associated committees with the relevant committees;










9.


the Statute for Members and the Staff Regulations of the European Union;










10.


privileges and immunities as well as verification of Members’ credentials;










11.


the organisation and statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union;










12.


the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market.





XVII.   Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

Committee responsible for:






1.


the protection within the territory of the Union of citizens’ rights, human rights and fundamental rights, including the protection of minorities, as laid down in the Treaties and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;










2.


the measures needed to combat all forms of discrimination other than those based on sex or those occurring at the workplace and in the labour market;










3.


legislation in the areas of transparency and of the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data;










4.


the establishment and development of an area of freedom, security and justice while respecting the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, in particular:






(a)


measures concerning the entry and movement of persons, asylum and migration,










(b)


measures concerning an integrated management of the common borders,










(c)


measures relating to police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters, including terrorism, and substantive and procedural measures relating to the development of a more coherent Union approach to criminal law,














5.


the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Europol, Eurojust, Cepol, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and other bodies and agencies in the same area;










6.


the determination of a clear risk of a serious breach by a Member State of the principles common to the Member States.





XVIII.   Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Committee responsible for:






1.


the institutional aspects of the European integration process, in particular the preparation, initiation and proceedings of ordinary and simplified Treaty revision procedures;










2.


the implementation of the Treaties and the assessment of their operation;










3.


the institutional consequences of enlargement negotiations of or withdrawal from the Union;










4.


interinstitutional relations, including, with a view to their approval by Parliament, examination of interinstitutional agreements pursuant to Rule 127(2) of the Rules of Procedure;










5.


uniform electoral procedure;










6.


political parties and political foundations at European level, without prejudice to the competences of the Bureau;










7.


the determination of the existence of a serious and persistent breach by a Member State of the principles common to the Member States;










8.


the interpretation and application of the Rules of Procedure and proposals for amendments thereto.





XIX.   Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

Committee responsible for:






1.


the definition, promotion and protection of women’s rights in the Union and related Union measures;










2.


the promotion of women’s rights in third countries;










3.


equal opportunities policy, including the promotion of equality between men and women with regard to labour market opportunities and treatment at work;










4.


the removal of all forms of violence and discrimination based on sex;










5.


the implementation and further development of gender mainstreaming in all policy sectors;










6.


the follow-up and implementation of international agreements and conventions involving the rights of women;










7.


encouraging awareness of women’s rights.





XX.   Committee on Petitions

Committee responsible for:






1.


petitions;










2.


the organisation of public hearings on citizens’ initiatives pursuant to Rule 197a;










3.


relations with the European Ombudsman.’
















2.


Decides that this decision will enter into force on the first day of the first part-session of the eighth parliamentary term;












3.


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