P9_TA(2024)0176 – Amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure implementing the parliamentary reform Parliament 2024 – European Parliament decision of 10 April 2024 on amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure implementing the parliamentary reform Parliament 2024 (2024/2000(REG))
Date: 2024-04-10
Institutions: Committee on Constitutional Affairs, European Parliament
Subjects: EP Committee, operation of the Institutions, parliamentary inquiry, parliamentary rules of procedure




C_202501280EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/1280


13.3.2025






P9_TA(2024)0176

Amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure implementing the parliamentary reform ‘Parliament 2024’
            


European Parliament decision of 10 April 2024 on amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure implementing the parliamentary reform ‘Parliament 2024’ (2024/2000(REG))

(C/2025/1280)



The European Parliament,







—


having regard to the letter from its President of 31 January 2024,










—


having regard to Rules 236 and 237 of its Rules of Procedure,










—


having regard to Decision 95/167/EC, Euratom, ECSC of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of 19 April 1995 on the detailed provisions governing the exercise of the European Parliament's right of inquiry (1),










—


having regard to its proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament on the detailed provisions governing the exercise of the European Parliament's right of inquiry and repealing Decision 95/167/EC, Euratom, ECSC of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission (2),










—


having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A9-0158/2024),











1.


Decides to amend its Rules of Procedure as shown below;










2.


Decides that the amendments shall enter into force on 16 July 2024; decides that the amendments empowering the Conference of Presidents and the Bureau to adopt implementing measures shall however apply from the date that this decision is adopted;










3.


Decides that transitional arrangements shall apply to legislative procedures for which Parliament did not adopt a position before the end of the last part-session of this parliamentary term and for which Rules 56, 57 or 58 were applied; mandates the Conference of Presidents to lay down those transitional arrangements pursuant to Rule 240, on the basis of a recommendation of the Conference of Committee Chairs; decides that, for the legislative procedures for which Rule 57 was applied and for which the report of the committee responsible was adopted before the end of that last part-session, Rule 57 shall continue to apply until the adoption of the proposed legal act;










4.


Stresses that, when nominating candidates for, and electing, the President, Vice-Presidents and Quaestors, political groups bear collective responsibility for putting forward candidates that respect the gender balance;










5.


Commits to engage with the Commission to commence the revision of the Framework Agreement of 20 October 2010 on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission (3) in the light of the parliamentary reform ‘Parliament 2024’ and welcomes that Parliament's President has initiated the first steps with the President of the Commission to this effect;










6.


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





Amendment 1


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 25 – paragraph 9








Present text




Amendment






9.   The Bureau shall be the authority responsible for authorising 
meetings or missions of committees away from the usual places of work, hearings as well as study and fact-finding journeys by rapporteurs
.




9.   The Bureau shall be the authority responsible for authorising 
expenditure for hearings
.







Where such meetings or missions are authorised, the language arrangements shall be determined on the basis of the Code of Conduct on multilingualism adopted by the Bureau. The same rule shall apply to delegations.




 





Amendment 2


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 27 – paragraph 7








Present text




Amendment






7.   The Conference of Presidents shall make proposals to Parliament concerning the composition and competence of committees, committees of inquiry, joint parliamentary committees and standing delegations. The Conference of Presidents shall be responsible 
for authorising ad hoc delegations.






7.   The Conference of Presidents shall make proposals to Parliament concerning the composition and competence of committees, special committees, committees of inquiry, joint parliamentary committees and standing interparliamentary delegations. The Conference of Presidents shall be 
the authority
 responsible 
for proposing to Parliament the setting up of temporary legislative committees in accordance with Rule 207a.








Amendment 3


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 27 – paragraph 7 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





7a.
   
The Conference of Presidents shall be the authority responsible for authorising missions away from the usual places of work and interparliamentary meetings.








Amendment 4


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 42








Present text




Amendment







Rule 42




 






Verification of financial compatibility






deleted









1.
   
Where a proposal for a legally binding act has financial implications, Parliament shall establish whether sufficient financial resources are provided.





 







2.
   
The committee responsible for the subject-matter shall check that any proposal for a legally binding act is financially compatible with the multiannual financial framework regulation.





 







3.
   
When the committee responsible for the subject-matter amends the financial endowment of the act it is considering, it shall request the opinion of the committee responsible for budgetary issues.





 







4.
   
In addition, the committee responsible for budgetary issues may, on its own initiative, take up questions concerning the financial compatibility of proposals for legally binding acts. In such cases, it shall duly inform the committee responsible for the subject-matter.





 







5.
   
If the committee responsible for budgetary issues decides to dispute the financial compatibility of the proposal, it shall report its conclusions to Parliament before Parliament votes on the proposal.





 





Amendment 5


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 1– subparagraphs 1a and 1b (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Parliament's resolution shall indicate the appropriate legal basis of the proposal.






 




Parliament shall consider the financial implications, if any, of the proposal.







Amendment 6


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3








Present text




Amendment





The proposal shall be submitted to the President, who shall verify whether the legal requirements are fulfilled. The President may refer the proposal for an opinion on the appropriateness of the legal basis 
to the committee responsible for such verification
. If the President declares the proposal to be admissible, he or she shall announce it in plenary and refer it to the committee responsible for the subject matter.


The proposal shall be submitted to the President, who shall verify whether the legal requirements are fulfilled. The President may refer the proposal 
to the committee responsible for legal affairs
 for an opinion on the appropriateness of the legal basis
, which shall be delivered without undue delay
. If the President declares the proposal to be admissible, he or she shall announce it in plenary and refer it to the committee responsible for the subject matter.





Amendment 7


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 6 a








Present text




Amendment





 




Where the committee responsible for the subject-matter has decided to draw up an own-initiative report in accordance with Rule 54 on the proposal and the President has not referred it to the committee responsible for legal affairs for an opinion on the appropriateness of the legal basis, the committee responsible for the subject-matter shall request such an opinion from that committee, which shall be delivered without undue delay.







Amendment 8


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   
Parliament's resolution shall indicate the appropriate legal basis and shall be accompanied by recommendations concerning the content of the required proposal
.




3.   
The committee responsible for the subject-matter may also table such a proposal on its own initiative. It shall request an opinion on the appropriateness of the legal basis from the committee responsible for legal affairs, which shall be delivered without undue delay.








Amendment 9


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 4








Present text




Amendment






4.   
Where a proposal has
 financial implications
, Parliament shall indicate how sufficient financial resources can be provided
.




4.   
The committee responsible for budgetary issues may provide the committee responsible for the subject-matter with an opinion on the potential
 financial implications 
of the proposal
. 
It shall provide such an opinion if so requested by the committee responsible for the subject-matter. Any such opinion shall be provided without undue delay.








Amendment 10


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 4 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





4a.
   
Parliament's resolution shall be accompanied by recommendations concerning the content of the requested proposal.








Amendment 11


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 4 b (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





4b.
   
Parliament’s resolution shall be brought to the attention of the Council and the Commission with a view to its possible inclusion in the joint declaration on annual interinstitutional programming referred to in Rule 38(2).








Amendment 12


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 5 – subparagraphs 1a and 1b (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




After the expiry of the deadline of three months provided for in paragraph 16, third subparagraph, of the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission and in paragraph 10 of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making, the Commission may be invited to make a statement in plenary pursuant to Rule 132 in order to inform Parliament about the follow-up actions it intends to take.






 




If such a statement is not placed on the agenda of the first or second part-session following the expiry of the deadline referred to in the second subparagraph of this paragraph, the committee responsible for the subject-matter shall invite the Commissioner responsible to provide the information referred to in the second subparagraph of this paragraph at one of its forthcoming meetings.







Amendment 13


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 47 – paragraph 6








Present text




Amendment






6.   The Conference of Committee Chairs shall regularly monitor whether the Commission is complying with paragraph 10 of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making, according to which the Commission is to reply to requests for the submission of proposals within three months by adopting a specific communication stating the intended follow-up actions to be taken. 
The Conference of Committee Chairs shall regularly report on the results of such monitoring to the Conference of Presidents.






6.   The Conference of Committee Chairs shall regularly monitor 
and report to the Conference of Presidents on
 whether the Commission is complying with 
paragraph 16, third subparagraph, of the Framework Agreement as well as with
 paragraph 10 of the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making, according to which the Commission is to reply to requests for the submission of proposals within three months by adopting a specific communication stating the intended follow-up actions to be taken.






Amendment 14


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – title








Present text




Amendment







Consideration
 of legally binding acts




Referral
 of legally binding acts 
and questions of competence







Amendment 15


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   The President shall refer proposals for legally binding acts received from other institutions or Member States to the committee responsible
,
 for consideration. The other committees shall be informed of the referral at the same time.




1.   The President shall refer proposals for legally binding acts received from other institutions or Member States to the committee responsible 
or to the committees responsible pursuant to Rule 58
 for consideration. 
The President may at the same time refer proposals to one or more committees for them to draft an opinion pursuant to Rule 56.
 The other committees 
and the political groups
 shall be informed of the referral at the same time.






Amendment 16


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – paragraph 1 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





1a.
   
Within two weeks of the referral, a committee or a political group may challenge the President’s referral to the committee or committees responsible. In such a case, that committee or political group shall provide a detailed written justification and a substantiated alternative based on Annex VI at least one week before the next meeting of the Conference of Presidents.







 




The Conference of Presidents may request a recommendation on the matter from the Conference of Committee Chairs. The Conference of Committee Chairs or its Chair shall adopt that recommendation at its next meeting. The Conference of Presidents shall take a decision on the final referral at its next meeting, provided that the transmission by the Conference of Committee Chairs of its recommendation has taken place at least one week before.






 




If no committee or political group challenges the President’s referral to the committee or committees responsible within the deadline laid down in the first subparagraph, the President’s referral shall be final.







Amendment 17


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   In cases of doubt, the President may, before the 
announcement in Parliament of a
 referral to 
the committee
 responsible
, submit a question concerning competence to
 the Conference of Presidents. The Conference of Presidents shall 
adopt its
 decision on the 
basis of a recommendation from the Conference of Committee Chairs, or the chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs, in accordance with Rule 211(2)
.




2.   In cases of doubt, the President may, before the 
referral provided for in paragraph 1, request a recommendation on the question of competence from the Conference of Committee Chairs. The Conference of Committee Chairs or its Chair shall adopt that recommendation at its next meeting. After receiving the recommendation, the President shall make the referral. Political groups shall be informed of the referral at the same time. Within two weeks of the referral, a political group may challenge the President's
 referral to 
the committee or committees
 responsible
. In such a case, that group shall provide a detailed written justification and a substantiated alternative based on Annex VI at least two weeks before the next meeting of
 the Conference of Presidents. The Conference of Presidents shall 
take a
 decision on the 
referral at its next meeting.







 




If no political group challenges the President’s referral to the committee or committees responsible within the deadline laid down in the first subparagraph, the President’s referral shall be final
.





Amendment 18


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – paragraph 2 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





2a.
   
Within two weeks of the referral, a committee to which the President has not referred the proposal for an opinion pursuant to paragraph 1 may request an authorisation from the Conference of Committee Chairs to draw up such an opinion. That request shall be based on a written statement of reasons justifying that the matter falls to a substantial extent within its competence pursuant to Annex VI. The Conference of Committee Chairs or its Chair shall take a decision at its next meeting and inform the President thereof.








Amendment 19


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   The President shall announce the referral in Parliament after receiving the proposal in all official languages of the European Union and, except in cases of requests for the application of the urgent procedure pursuant to Rule 163, after, where relevant, any 
conflict
 of competence between committees has been settled 
in accordance with Rule 211(2)
. Once it has been announced in Parliament, the referral shall be made public on Parliament’s website.




3.   The President shall announce the referral in Parliament after receiving the proposal in all official languages of the European Union and, except in cases of requests for the application of the urgent procedure pursuant to Rule 163, after, where relevant, any 
question
 of competence between committees has been settled. Once it has been announced in Parliament, the referral shall be made public on Parliament’s website.






Amendment 20


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – paragraph 4








Present text




Amendment








4.
   
The committee responsible may, at any time, decide to appoint a rapporteur to follow the preparatory phase of a proposal. It shall give particular consideration to doing so where the proposal is listed in the Commission Work Programme.







deleted







Amendment 21


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – paragraph 5








Present text




Amendment








5.
   
In the event of a conflict between a provision of the Rules of Procedure relating to the second and third readings and any other provision of the Rules, the provision relating to the second and third readings shall take precedence.







deleted







Amendment 22


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 48 – paragraph 5 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





5a.
   
For the purpose of calculating the deadlines referred to in this Rule, weeks without parliamentary activities and weeks set aside for external parliamentary activities shall not be taken into account.








Amendment 23


Parliament’s Rules of Procedure


Rule 49 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment





The acceleration of legislative procedures in coordination with the Council and Commission regarding specific proposals, selected in particular from among those identified as priorities in the joint declaration on annual interinstitutional programming pursuant to Rule 38(2), 
may
 be agreed by the committee or committees responsible.


The acceleration of legislative procedures in coordination with the Council and Commission regarding specific proposals, selected in particular from among those identified as priorities in the joint declaration on annual interinstitutional programming pursuant to Rule 38(2), 
shall
 be agreed by the committee or committees responsible.





Amendment 24


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 49 – paragraph 1 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Accelerated legislative procedures shall be carried out on the basis of a report from the committee or committees responsible. To this end, questions to be dealt with in accordance with accelerated legislative procedures may be given priority over other items on the committee agenda.







Amendment 25


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 51 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   After taking a decision on the procedure to be followed, and 
if
 the simplified procedure under Rule 52 does not apply, the committee shall appoint a rapporteur on the proposal for a legally binding act from among its members or permanent substitutes 
if it has not yet done so on the basis of Rule 48(4)
.




2.   After taking a decision on the procedure to be followed, and 
provided that
 the simplified procedure under Rule 52 does not apply, the committee shall appoint a rapporteur on the proposal for a legally binding act from among its members or permanent substitutes.





 




The committee responsible may also decide to appoint a rapporteur to follow the preparatory phase of a proposal. It shall particularly consider doing so where the proposal is listed in the Commission Work Programme.







Amendment 26


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 52 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   Alternatively, the Chair may propose 
that a set of
 amendments 
be drafted by the Chair or by the rapporteur reflecting the committee's discussion
. Unless members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold in the committee object, the proposed procedure shall be deemed to have been approved 
and the amendments shall be sent to the members of the committee
.




2.   Alternatively, the Chair may propose 
setting a deadline for tabling
 amendments 
without a draft report having first been drawn up
. Unless members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold in the committee object, the proposed procedure shall be deemed to have been approved.







Unless members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold in the committee object to the amendments within a set time limit, which shall not be less than 10 working days from the date of dispatch, the report shall be deemed to have been adopted by the committee. In this case, the
 draft legislative resolution and 
the
 amendments shall be submitted to Parliament 
without debate pursuant to the second subparagraph of Rule 159(1) and Rule 159(2) and (4)
.




The amendments tabled shall be put to the vote at the earliest possible meeting of the committee after the deadline for the amendments has passed, following which a
 draft legislative resolution and amendments shall be submitted to Parliament.






If members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold in the committee object to the amendments, they shall be put to the vote at the next meeting of the committee.




 





Amendment 27


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 53 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Rule 53a






 




Co-rapporteurship






 





1.
   
Exceptionally, without prejudice to Rule 51(2) and at the request of the committee responsible, the Conference of Presidents may authorise the appointment of maximum three co-rapporteurs. As a general rule, co-rapporteurs shall come from different political groups.







 





2.
   
The appointment of co-rapporteurs shall not be authorised under paragraph 1 for reports drawn up by committees jointly under Rule 58, for opinions pursuant to Rule 56 or for own-initiative reports, except for own-initiative reports of a budgetary or institutional nature.








Amendment 28


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 54 – paragraph 4








Present text




Amendment






4.   Motions for resolutions submitted to Parliament shall be examined under the short presentation procedure set out in Rule 160. Amendments to such motions for resolutions and requests for split votes or separate votes shall only be admissible for consideration in plenary if they are tabled either by the rapporteur, in order to take account of new information, or by at least one-tenth of the Members. Political groups may table alternative motions for resolutions in accordance with Rule 181(3). Rule 190 shall apply to the committee’s motion for a resolution and amendments thereto. Rule 190 shall also apply to the single vote on alternative motions for resolutions.




4.   Motions for resolutions submitted to Parliament shall be examined under the short presentation procedure set out in Rule 160 
or submitted directly for a vote in plenary
. Amendments to such motions for resolutions and requests for split votes or separate votes shall only be admissible for consideration in plenary if they are tabled either by the rapporteur, in order to take account of new information, or by at least one-tenth of the Members. Political groups may table alternative motions for resolutions in accordance with Rule 181(3). Rule 190 shall apply to the committee’s motion for a resolution and amendments thereto. Rule 190 shall also apply to the single vote on alternative motions for resolutions.






Amendment 29


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 54 – paragraph 5








Present text




Amendment






5.   Paragraph 4 shall not apply where the subject of the report qualifies for a key debate in plenary, where the report is drawn up pursuant to the right of initiative referred to in Rule 46 or 47, 
or
 where the report has been authorised as a strategic report

 (18)

.




5.   Paragraph 4 shall not apply where the subject of the report qualifies for a key debate in plenary, where the report is drawn up pursuant to the right of initiative referred to in Rule 46 or 47, where the report has been authorised as a strategic report 
or as an implementation report or for annual activity and monitoring reports listed in the implementing provisions laid down by the Conference of Presidents
.






 





Amendment 30


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 54 – paragraph 5 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





5a.
   
The committee Chairs may enter into agreements with other committee Chairs concerning the allocation of an own-initiative report or a non-legislative report to a particular committee.







 




If a question of competence arises among two or more standing committees, the matter shall be examined by the Conference of Committee Chairs. If no agreement has been found among those committees, the Conference of Committee Chairs or its Chair shall issue a recommendation. The Conference of Presidents shall take a decision on the basis of that recommendation at its earliest possible meeting and at the latest within six weeks after its transmission. If the Conference of Presidents fails to take a decision within that period, the recommendation shall be deemed to have been approved.







Amendment 31


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   
If the committee to which a matter was first referred wishes to hear the views of another committee, or if another committee wishes to make known its views to the committee to which a matter was first referred, such committees may ask the President in accordance with Rule 210(2) for one committee to be named as the committee responsible and the other as the opinion-giving committee.






1.   
Committees may be authorised to draw up an opinion pursuant to Rule 48 or Rule 54 if a matter falls to a substantial extent within their competence pursuant to Annex VI (18a).







 






Amendment 32


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 1 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





1a.
   
The Chairs and rapporteurs of the committee responsible and of any opinion-giving committee are bound by the principle of good and sincere cooperation. The rapporteurs of those committees shall keep each other informed and shall endeavour to agree on the texts that they decide to propose to their committees and on their positions with regard to amendments.








Amendment 33


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   Where the opinion concerns a proposal for a legally binding act, it shall consist of amendments to the text referred to the committee, accompanied, where appropriate, by short justifications. Such justifications shall be the responsibility of their author and shall not be put to the vote. If necessary, the opinion-giving committee may submit a short written justification for the opinion as a whole. That short written justification shall be the responsibility of the rapporteur for the opinion.




2.   Where the opinion concerns a proposal for a legally binding act, it shall consist of amendments to the text referred to the committee, accompanied, where appropriate, by short justifications. Such justifications shall be the responsibility of their author and shall not be put to the vote. If necessary, the opinion-giving committee may submit a short written justification for the opinion as a whole. That short written justification shall be the responsibility of the rapporteur for the opinion.





 




The committee responsible shall set a reasonable deadline by which the opinion-giving committees must deliver an opinion if it is to be taken into account by the committee responsible. Any changes to the announced timetable shall be immediately communicated by the committee responsible to the opinion-giving committees together with the justification for such change. The committee responsible shall not reach its final conclusions before that deadline has expired.






Where the opinion does not concern a proposal for a legally binding act, it shall consist of 
suggestions for parts of the motion for a resolution submitted by
 the committee responsible.





2a.
   Where the opinion does not concern a proposal for a legally binding act, it shall consist of 
amendments to the draft report of
 the committee responsible. 
The timetable set by the committee responsible shall allow the opinion-giving committees sufficient time to set a specific deadline to provide their amendments and to complete their work.







The committee responsible shall put 
these
 amendments 
or suggestions
 to the vote.





2b.
   The committee responsible shall put 
the
 amendments 
of the opinion-giving committees
 to the vote. 
Amendments from an opinion-giving committee which are not adopted by the committee responsible may be tabled by that opinion-giving committee directly for consideration by Parliament, except in the case of opinions pursuant to Rule 93, Rule 118 and Annex V.







The opinions shall deal solely with those matters that fall within the areas of 
responsibility
 of the opinion-giving committee.





2c.
   The opinions shall deal solely with those matters that fall within the areas of 
competence
 of the opinion-giving committee. 
Amendments falling outside the areas of competence of that opinion-giving committee shall not be admissible.








Amendment 34


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment








3.
   
The committee responsible shall set a deadline within which the opinion-giving committee must deliver its opinion if it is to be taken into account by the committee responsible. Any changes to the announced timetable shall be immediately communicated by the committee responsible to the opinion-giving committee or opinion giving committees. The committee responsible shall not reach its final conclusions before that time-limit has expired.







deleted







Amendment 35


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 4








Present text




Amendment








4.
   
Alternatively, the opinion-giving committee may decide to present its position in the form of amendments to be tabled directly in the committee responsible following their adoption. These amendments shall be tabled by the Chair or the rapporteur on behalf of the opinion-giving committee.







deleted







Amendment 36


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 5








Present text




Amendment








5.
   
The opinion-giving committee shall table the amendments referred to in paragraph 4 within the deadline for amendments set by the committee responsible.







deleted







Amendment 37


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 6








Present text




Amendment






6.   All opinions 
and amendments
 adopted by the opinion-giving 
committee
 shall be annexed to the report of the committee responsible.




6.   All opinions adopted by the opinion-giving 
committees
 shall be annexed to the report of the committee responsible.






Amendment 38


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 7








Present text




Amendment








7.
   
Opinion-giving committees within the meaning of this Rule cannot table amendments for consideration by Parliament.







deleted







Amendment 39


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 – paragraph 8








Present text




Amendment






8.   The Chair and rapporteur of the opinion-giving committee shall be invited to take part in an advisory capacity in meetings of the committee responsible
, insofar as these relate to the matter of common concern
.




8.   The Chair and rapporteur of the opinion-giving committee shall be invited to take part in an advisory capacity in meetings of the committee responsible. 
The rapporteur of the opinion-giving committee shall also be invited in an advisory capacity to shadows meetings and preparatory meetings taking place within the framework of interinstitutional negotiations. As regards the ordinary legislative procedure, this paragraph shall only apply to the first-reading stage.








Amendment 40


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 56 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Rule 56a






 




Budgetary assessment on proposals for legally binding acts with budgetary implications






 





1.
   
Without prejudice to the application of Rule 48, where a proposal for a legally binding act has implications for the Union budget, that proposal shall be referred by the President to the committee responsible for budgetary issues. That committee shall then issue a budgetary assessment of the proposal if it deems it appropriate or if so requested by the committee responsible for the subject-matter. This paragraph is without prejudice to the possibility for the committee responsible for budgetary issues to be authorised to submit opinions pursuant to Rule 56 or to act jointly with one or more committees pursuant to Rule 58.







 





2.
   
The committee responsible for the subject-matter shall set a deadline within which the budgetary assessment is to be provided. Any changes to the announced timetable shall be immediately communicated to the committee responsible for budgetary issues. The committee responsible for the subject-matter shall not adopt its report before that deadline has expired.







 





3.
   
In the budgetary assessment, the committee responsible for budgetary issues shall examine whether the proposal for a legally binding act provides for sufficient financial and human resources, and evaluate the potential impact of the financing proposed on other Union programmes or policies. It shall also determine whether the proposal is compatible with the multiannual financial framework, the system of own resources and the corresponding interinstitutional agreement, as well as the budgetary principles as laid down in the Financial Regulation. Where applicable, the committee responsible for budgetary issues shall also determine whether the proposal is compatible with Parliament’s position on any proposal to amend or replace that framework, that system, that agreement or those principles.







 





4.
   
The budgetary assessment shall consist of an evaluation of the aspects of the proposal for a legally-binding act referred to in paragraph 3. The budgetary assessment may, where appropriate, also contain amendments to that proposal covering exclusively those aspects referred to in paragraph 3. Amendments on those aspects by the committee responsible for the subject-matter shall be inadmissible. The budgetary assessment, including the amendments, shall be integrated into the report as such.







 





5.
   
Where a budgetary assessment is provided, the committee responsible for the subject-matter and the committee responsible for budgetary issues shall cooperate throughout the procedure to ensure full consistency between policy and budgetary objectives. To this end, they shall invite each other’s rapporteurs to their discussions within Parliament relating to the proposal for a legally binding act, including to the meetings between the rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs.







 





6.
   
Where a budgetary assessment is provided, the negotiating team referred to in Rule 74(1) shall include the rapporteur from the committee responsible for budgetary issues for the aspects referred to in paragraph 3. Where a budgetary assessment is not provided, the committee responsible for the subject-matter may ask the committee responsible for budgetary issues to provide assistance to the negotiating team referred to in Rule 74(1) in relation to the aspects referred to in paragraph 3 at any stage of the interinstitutional negotiations.








Amendment 41


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 57








Present text




Amendment







Rule 57






deleted








Associated committee procedure




 







1.
   
Where a question of competence is referred to the Conference of Presidents pursuant to Rule 211, and the Conference of Presidents, on the basis of Annex VI, considers that the matter falls almost equally within the competence of two or more committees, or that different parts of the matter fall within the competence of two or more committees, Rule 56 shall apply with the following additional provisions:





 










—




the timetable shall be jointly agreed by the committees concerned;








 










—




the rapporteurs concerned shall keep each other informed and shall endeavour to agree on the texts they propose to their committees and on their position regarding amendments;








 










—




the Chairs and rapporteurs concerned are bound by the principle of good and sincere cooperation; they shall jointly identify areas of the text falling within their exclusive or shared competence and agree on the precise arrangements for their cooperation; in the event of disagreement about the delimitation of competences the matter shall be submitted, at the request of one of the committees involved, to the Conference of Presidents; the Conference of Presidents may decide on the question of the respective competences or decide that the joint committee procedure under Rule 58 is to apply; it shall take its decision in accordance with the procedure and within the deadline set out in Rule 211;








 










—




the committee responsible shall accept without a vote amendments from an associated committee where they concern matters which fall within the exclusive competence of that associated committee;. if the committee responsible fails to respect the exclusive competence of the associated committee, that associated committee may table amendments directly in plenary; if amendments on matters which fall within the shared competence of the committee responsible and an associated committee are not adopted by the committee responsible, the associated committee may table those amendments directly in plenary;








 










—




in the event of a conciliation procedure in respect of the proposal, Parliament's delegation shall include the rapporteur of any associated committee.








 






A decision by the Conference of Presidents to apply the associated committee procedure applies at all stages of the procedure in question.




 






The rights attaching to the status of ‘committee responsible’ are exercised by the lead committee. In exercising those rights, the lead committee must take due account of the prerogatives of the associated committee. In particular, the lead committee must comply with the obligation to observe the principle of sincere cooperation as regards the timetable and respect the right of the associated committee to determine the amendments submitted in plenary which fall within its exclusive competence.




 







2.
   
The procedure laid down in this Rule shall not apply to the recommendations to be adopted by the committee responsible under Rule 105.





 




 



(Amendment applies throughout: delete references to Rule 57 and make resulting changes throughout the Rules of Procedure)






Amendment 42


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 58 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   When a 
question of competence is referred to it pursuant to Rule 211, the Conference of Presidents may decide that
 the procedure with joint meetings of committees and a joint vote 
is to
 be applied
, provided that:






1.   When a 
matter falls within the competence of two or three committees, without the competence of any of them prevailing,
 the procedure with joint meetings of committees and a joint vote 
may
 be applied 
pursuant to Rule 48 or Rule 54. Each committee shall appoint one rapporteur.













—




by virtue of Annex VI, the matter falls indissociably within the competences of several committees; and








 










—




it is satisfied that the question is of major importance
.






 





Amendment 43


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 58 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   In that event, the respective rapporteurs shall draw up a single draft report, which shall be examined and voted on by the committees involved, under the joint chairmanship of the committee Chairs.




2.   In that event, the respective rapporteurs shall draw up a single draft report, which shall be examined and voted on by the committees involved, under the joint chairmanship of the committee Chairs. 
The chairmanship of meetings shall alternate among the Chairs of the committees involved, unless otherwise agreed between the Chairs.







At all stages of the procedure, the rights attaching to the status of committee responsible may be exercised by the committees involved only when they are acting jointly. The committees involved may set up working groups to prepare the meetings and votes.


At all stages of the procedure, the rights attaching to the status of committee responsible may be exercised by the committees involved only when they are acting jointly. The committees involved may set up working groups to prepare the meetings and votes. 
For the calculation of quorums, majorities and thresholds, all committees involved shall be considered to constitute a single committee.







Amendment 44


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 58 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   At the second-reading stage of the ordinary legislative procedure, the Council position shall be considered at a joint meeting of the committees involved
, which, should
 no agreement 
be
 reached between 
their
 Chairs, shall be held on the Wednesday of the first week set aside for meetings of parliamentary bodies following the communication of the Council’s position to Parliament. If no agreement is reached on the convening of a further meeting, any such meeting shall be convened by the Chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs. The vote on the recommendation for second reading shall be taken at a joint meeting on the basis of a joint text drafted by the respective rapporteurs of the committees involved or, in the absence of a joint text, on the basis of the amendments tabled in the committees involved.




3.   At the second-reading stage of the ordinary legislative procedure, the Council position shall be considered at a joint meeting of the committees involved
. If
 no agreement 
is
 reached between 
the
 Chairs 
of those committees
, 
the joint meeting
 shall be held on the Wednesday of the first week set aside for meetings of parliamentary bodies following the communication of the Council’s position to Parliament. If no agreement is reached on the convening of a further meeting, any such meeting shall be convened by the Chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs. The vote on the recommendation for second reading shall be taken at a joint meeting on the basis of a joint text drafted by the respective rapporteurs of the committees involved or, in the absence of a joint text, on the basis of the amendments tabled in the committees involved.






Amendment 45


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 71 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1








Present text




Amendment





Decisions to enter into negotiations shall be announced at the beginning of the part-session following their adoption in committee. By the end of the day following the announcement in Parliament, Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold may request in writing that a committee decision to enter into negotiations be put to the vote. Parliament shall then proceed to that vote during the same part-session.


Decisions to enter into negotiations shall be announced at the beginning of the part-session following their adoption in committee. By the end of the day following the announcement in Parliament, Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold 
or a committee having issued an opinion pursuant to Rule 56
 may request in writing that a committee decision to enter into negotiations be put to the vote. Parliament shall then proceed to that vote during the same part-session.





Amendment 46


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 71 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2








Present text




Amendment





If no such request is received by the expiry of the deadline laid down in the first subparagraph, the President shall inform Parliament that this is the case. If a request is made, the President may, immediately prior to the vote, give the floor to one speaker 
in favour of
 the committee’s decision to enter into negotiations 
and to one speaker against that decision
. Each speaker may make a statement lasting no more than 
two minutes
.


If no such request is received by the expiry of the deadline laid down in the first subparagraph, the President shall inform Parliament that this is the case. If a request is made, the President may, immediately prior to the vote, give the floor to one speaker 
from each political group to speak on
 the committee’s decision to enter into negotiations. Each speaker may make a statement lasting no more than 
one minute
.





Amendment 47


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 74 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   Parliament's negotiating team shall be led by the rapporteur and shall be presided over by the Chair of the committee responsible or by a Vice-Chair designated by the Chair. 
It
 shall 
at least
 consist of the shadow 
rapporteurs
 from each political group that wishes to participate.




1.   Parliament's negotiating team shall be led by the rapporteur and shall be presided over by the Chair of the committee responsible or by a Vice-Chair designated by the Chair
, who may not be a shadow rapporteur for the report concerned. If neither the Chair nor a Vice-Chair can attend a specific negotiation meeting with the Council and the Commission (‘trilogue’), the Chair shall inform the President before the meeting takes place that the negotiating team will be exceptionally presided over by the rapporteur at that trilogue.







 




Without prejudice to Rule 56a, the negotiating team
 shall consist of the shadow 
rapporteur
 from each political group that wishes to participate. 
If a shadow rapporteur is unable to attend a specific trilogue, his or her political group may appoint another Member to replace the shadow rapporteur.







Amendment 48


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 74 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   Any document intended to be discussed at a 
meeting with the Council and the Commission (‘trilogue’)
 shall be circulated to the negotiating team at least 48 hours or, in cases of urgency, at least 24 hours in advance of that trilogue.




2.   Any document intended to be discussed at a 
trilogue
 shall be circulated to the negotiating team at least 48 hours or, in cases of urgency, at least 24 hours in advance of that trilogue.






Amendment 49


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 74 – paragraph 5








Present text




Amendment






5.   In the event of a disagreement between the committees concerned under 
Rules 57 and 58
, the detailed rules for 
the opening of negotiations and the conduct of
 such negotiations shall be determined by the Chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs in accordance with the principles set out in 
those Rules
.




5.   In the event of a disagreement 
relating to the opening of negotiations and the conduct of negotiations
 between the committees concerned under 
Rule 58
, the detailed rules for such negotiations shall be determined by the Chair of the Conference of Committee Chairs in accordance with the principles set out in 
Rule 58
.






Amendment 50


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Title II – Chapter 3 – Section 4 a (new) – title








Present text




Amendment





 




SECTION 4A






 




CONFLICT OF RULES







Amendment 51


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 78 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Rule 78a






 




Conflict of rules






 




In the event of a conflict between a provision of the Rules of Procedure relating to the second and third readings and any other provision of the Rules, the provision relating to the second and third readings shall take precedence.







Amendment 52


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 94 – paragraph 3 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





3a.
   
Amendments concerning pilot projects and preparatory actions shall be subject to a prior executability assessment by the Commission, in accordance with the Interinstitutional Agreement on budgetary discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management. Proposed pilot projects and preparatory actions directly linked to reports being drawn up, or to proposals having been adopted, in accordance with Rule 47 shall be sent to the Commission for information purposes.







 




The committee responsible for budgetary issues shall lay down for each year the procedure and timetable for the executability assessment. That procedure and timetable shall allow sufficient time for the preparation of amendments to the Council’s position on the draft budget. The committee responsible for budgetary issues shall only send proposed pilot projects and preparatory actions to the Commission where those proposals have the support of a committee, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold.







Amendment 53


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 94 – paragraph 4








Present text




Amendment






4.   The committee responsible shall vote on 
the
 amendments before they are discussed in Parliament.




4.   The committee responsible shall vote on 
all budgetary
 amendments before they are discussed in Parliament. 
Amendments concerning pilot projects and preparatory actions directly linked to reports being drawn up, or to proposals having been adopted, in accordance with Rule 47 shall be given priority in voting.








Amendment 54


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 99 – interpretation (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Discharge to the Commission includes non-traditionally financed instruments, off-budget instruments and performance-based hybrid instruments. Since such instruments require a special control framework, the committee responsible concerning discharge has to be systematically associated with the consideration of those instruments in accordance with Rule 56.







Amendment 55


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 113 – title








Present text




Amendment





Consideration under 
the associated committee procedure or
 the joint committee procedure


Consideration under the joint committee procedure





Amendment 56


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 113 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment








1.
   
If the basic legislative act was adopted by Parliament under the procedure provided for in Rule 57, the following additional provisions shall apply to the consideration of the delegated acts or draft implementing acts or measures:







deleted












—




the delegated act or draft implementing act or measure shall be forwarded to the committee responsible and to the associated committee;








 










—




the Chair of the committee responsible shall set a deadline by which the associated committee may draw up proposals on matters falling within its exclusive competence or within the joint competence of the two committees;








 










—




if the delegated act or draft implementing act or measure falls mainly within the exclusive competence of the associated committee, the committee responsible shall accept its proposals without a vote; if the committee responsible fails to respect this rule, the President may authorise the associated committee to table a motion for a resolution in plenary.








 





Amendment 57


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 118 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   The committee responsible may draw up draft recommendations for the Council, for the Commission or for the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on subjects under Title V of the Treaty on European Union (the Union’s external action), or in cases where an international agreement falling within the scope of Rule 114 has not been referred to Parliament or Parliament has not been informed thereof under Rule 115.




1.   
In accordance with Rule 54, paragraphs 1 and 2,
 the committee responsible may draw up draft recommendations for the Council, for the Commission or for the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on subjects under Title V of the Treaty on European Union (the Union’s external action), or in cases where an international agreement falling within the scope of Rule 114 has not been referred to Parliament or Parliament has not been informed thereof under Rule 115.






Amendment 58


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 118 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   During the procedure for adopting those draft recommendations at committee stage, it shall be necessary for a written text to be put to the vote.




3.   During the procedure for adopting those draft recommendations at committee stage, it shall be necessary for a written text to be put to the vote. 
Other committees may deliver an opinion to the committee responsible in accordance with Rule 56.








Amendment 59


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 118 – paragraph 6








Present text




Amendment






6.   Recommendations shall be deemed to have been adopted unless, before the beginning of the part-session, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold submit a written objection. Where such an objection is submitted, the committee's draft recommendations shall be included on the agenda of the same part-session. Such recommendations 
shall
 be the subject of a debate, and any amendment tabled by a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold shall be put to the vote.




6.   Recommendations shall be deemed to have been adopted unless, before the beginning of the part-session, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold submit a written objection. Where such an objection is submitted, the committee's draft recommendations shall be included on the agenda of the same part-session. Such recommendations 
may
 be the subject of a debate, and any amendment tabled by a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold shall be put to the vote.






Amendment 60


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 123 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Rule 123a






 




Cooperation with committees or in the context of special scrutiny hearings






 




A representative of a Union institution or body and any other person shall be expected to cooperate in case of requests to attend meetings of committees and special scrutiny hearings as well as to supply relevant documents to the committees and for such hearings. In the case of lack of cooperation, a committee or Chair of a special scrutiny hearing may request the President to take action. The President, after consulting the Conference of Presidents, shall decide on whether to apply one or more of the following measures:






 










(a)






an instruction to the Secretary General to seek authorisation from the Quaestors to withdraw or deactivate long-term access badges in accordance with Rule 123(3);










 










(b)






a formal statement expressing Parliament’s dissatisfaction;










 










(c)






a request to the relevant Union institution or body or any other organisation to send a representative to a meeting of the Conference of Presidents to explain its refusal;










 










(d)






any other appropriate measures.











Amendment 61


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Title V – title








Present text




Amendment





RELATIONS WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES


RELATIONS WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES 
AND POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY







Amendment 62


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 125 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   The President shall invite the President-elect of the Commission to inform Parliament about the allocation of responsibilities (portfolios) in the proposed College of Commissioners in accordance with the political guidelines of the President-elect.




1.   The President shall invite the President-elect of the Commission to inform Parliament about 
the planned structure of the new Commission and
 the allocation of responsibilities (portfolios) in the proposed 
new
 College of Commissioners in accordance with the political guidelines of the President-elect 
as well as about other horizontal issues, including gender balance in that College
.






Amendment 63


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 125 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   The hearings shall be conducted by the committees. Exceptionally, a hearing may be carried out in a different format when the responsibilities of a Commissioner-designate are primarily horizontal in nature, provided that such a hearing involves the committees responsible.




3.   The 
confirmation
 hearings shall be conducted by the committees. Exceptionally, a 
confirmation
 hearing may be carried out in a different format when the responsibilities of a Commissioner-designate are primarily horizontal in nature, provided that such a 
confirmation
 hearing involves the committees responsible.





The hearings shall be held in public.


The 
confirmation
 hearings shall be held in public.




 



(Amendment applies throughout: replace ‘hearings’ by ‘confirmation hearings’ throughout Rule 125 and Annex VII)






Amendment 64


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 133 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Rule 133a






 




Statements explaining the use of Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as a legal basis






 





1.
   
When the Commission plans to adopt a proposal for a legal act based on Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the President shall invite the President of the Commission to make a statement to Parliament explaining the reasons for the choice of that legal basis, as well as outlining the main objectives and elements of the proposal. The statement shall be made prior to the formal adoption of the proposal by the Commission. Failing that, it shall be included in the draft agenda of the first part-session following the adoption of the proposal by the Commission, unless the Conference of Presidents decides otherwise. The Conference of Presidents shall decide whether the statement is to be followed by a debate. Rule 132(2) to (8) concerning the tabling and voting of motions for resolutions shall apply mutatis mutandis.







 




When such statement is not placed on the agenda of the first part-session following the adoption of the proposal mentioned in the first subparagraph, the committee responsible for the subject-matter shall invite the Commissioner responsible to provide the information referred to in the first subparagraph at one of its forthcoming meetings.






 





2.
   
The President shall refer the proposal to the committee responsible for legal affairs for verification of the legal basis. If that committee decides to question the validity or the appropriateness of the legal basis, it shall report its conclusions to Parliament, if necessary orally. Rule 149(3) to (5) shall apply.







 





3.
   
When a proposal for a legal act based on Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union has potential appreciable implications for the Union budget, Parliament shall request that the procedure of budgetary scrutiny provided for in the joint declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission

 (27a)

be initiated.







 




Parliament’s delegation to the Joint Committee provided for in the joint declaration referred to in the first subparagraph shall be made up of one member of its committee responsible for budgetary issues from each political group and one member from any committee responsible for the subject-matter.






 





4.
   
At the earliest three months after the entry into force of the legal act based on Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and at appropriate intervals thereafter, the President shall invite the Commissioner responsible to make a statement to Parliament reporting on the implementation of the legal act concerned and on the necessity to maintain its provisions in light of the requirements of the Treaties. The procedure set out in paragraph 1 shall apply mutatis mutandis.







 






Amendment 65


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Title V – Chapter 3 – title








Present text




Amendment





PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS




SPECIAL SCRUTINY HEARINGS AND
 PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS





Amendment 66


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 135 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Rule 135a






 




Special scrutiny hearings






 





1.
   
In order to question one or more Commissioners on an issue of major political importance, the Conference of Presidents may, upon a proposal by the President, by a committee or by Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold, convene at short notice a special scrutiny hearing.







 





2.
   
The Conference of Presidents shall determine the number of Members to be appointed for a given special scrutiny hearing by the political groups and the non-attached Members. Where relevant, political groups shall ensure that the committees concerned are duly represented.







 





3.
   
A special scrutiny hearing shall be chaired by the President or, by delegation, by one of the Vice-Presidents. It shall be entirely public unless decided otherwise by the Conference of Presidents.







 





4.
   
The speaking time allocated to a political group shall be treated as a block. Each political group shall distribute the speaking time within its block between those of its members who are participating in the hearing. Speaking time allocated to non-attached Members shall not be treated as a block.







 





5.
   
Following the conclusion of the special scrutiny hearing, its Chair may submit to the Conference of Presidents written recommendations on behalf of Members who participated in the hearing.








Amendment 67


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 137 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   Question Time with Commissioners may be held at each part-session for a duration of up to about 90 minutes on one or more themes to be decided upon by the Conference of Presidents in advance, and at the latest on the Thursday before the relevant part-session.




1.   Question Time with 
one or more
 Commissioners may be held at each part-session for a duration of up to about 90 minutes on one or more themes to be decided upon by the Conference of Presidents in advance, and at the latest on the Thursday before the relevant part-session. 
The Commissioners invited to participate in Question Time by the Conference of Presidents shall have a portfolio related to the theme or themes on which questions are to be put to them.








Amendment 68


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 137 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment








2.
   
The Commissioners invited to participate by the Conference of Presidents shall have a portfolio related to the theme or themes on which questions are to be put to them. The number of Commissioners to be invited shall be limited to two per part-session. However, it shall be possible to invite a third Commissioner, depending on the theme or themes chosen for the Question Time.







deleted







Amendment 69


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 137 – paragraph 2 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





2a.
   
As a general rule, once per part-session, a special scrutiny session shall be held with the President of the Commission or selected Commissioners without a pre-defined theme.








Amendment 70


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 137 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   Question Time may also be held, under the terms laid down in paragraph 1, with the President of the European Council, with the Presidency of the Council, with the President of the Commission, with the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy 
and
 with the President of the Eurogroup.




3.   Question Time may also be held, under the terms laid down in paragraph 1, with the President of the European Council, with the Presidency of the Council, with the President of the Commission, 
with the entire college of Commissioners or specific categories of Commissioners
, with the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
,
 with the President of the Eurogroup 
and with other relevant representatives of Union institutions and bodies.








Amendment 72


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 137 – paragraph 6a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





6a.
   
Members shall not have pre-allocated seats and shall be encouraged to sit at the front of the Chamber.








Amendment 73


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 150 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   A committee may directly engage in dialogue with national parliaments at committee level within the limits of the budgetary appropriations set aside for that purpose. This may include appropriate forms of pre-legislative and post-legislative cooperation.




3.   A committee may directly engage in dialogue with national parliaments at committee level within the limits of the budgetary appropriations set aside for that purpose. This may include appropriate forms of pre-legislative and post-legislative cooperation
, including scrutiny of the implementation of Union law and Union policies
.






Amendment 74


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 154 – paragraph 4 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





4a.
   
The Conference of Presidents may decide, on a proposal from a committee or Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the high threshold, to hold ad hoc part-sessions on matters of significant political importance. In such cases no voting session may take place.







 




The President shall, following the decision of the Conference of Presidents, convene Parliament.







Amendment 75


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 158 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   At the beginning of each part-session, Parliament shall adopt its agenda. 
Amendments
 to the final draft agenda 
may be proposed by a committee, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold
. Any such 
proposals
 must be received by the President at least one hour before the opening of the part-session. The President may give the floor to the mover and to one speaker against, and in each case for not more than one minute.




1.   At the beginning of each part-session, Parliament shall adopt its agenda. 
A committee, a political group or at least one tenth of the Members may propose one amendment
 to the final draft agenda 
in response to events or political developments, which arose after the adoption of the final draft agenda
. Any such 
amendments
 must be received by the President at least one hour before the opening of the part-session. The President may give the floor to the mover and to one speaker against, and in each case for not more than one minute.






Amendment 76


Parliament’s Rules of Procedure


Rule 160 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Rule 160a






 




Debates on specific matters of interest to the European Union - Parliament’s statements






 





1.
   
Parliament may place debates on specific matters of interest to the European Union on the agenda, in accordance with Rules 157 and 158.







 





2.
   
Rule 132(2) to (8) concerning the tabling and voting of motions for resolutions shall apply mutatis mutandis.








Amendment 77


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 163 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   A request to 
treat a debate
 on a proposal submitted to Parliament pursuant to Rule 48(1) 
as urgent
 may be made to Parliament by the President, a committee, a political group, Members reaching at least the low threshold, the Commission or the Council. Such requests shall be made in writing and supported by reasons.




1.   A request to 
decide urgently
 on a proposal submitted to Parliament pursuant to Rule 48(1) 
as a result of unforeseen developments
 may be made to Parliament by the President, a committee, a political group, Members reaching at least the low threshold, the Commission or the Council. Such requests shall be made in writing and supported by reasons. 
For requests made by the Commission or the Council, the statement of reasons shall contain a detailed justification of each proposal and, where appropriate, a precise indication of legally required deadlines for the adoption or entry into force of the proposed legally binding act.








Amendment 78


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 163 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   
As soon as the President has received a request
 for urgent 
debate this
 shall be announced in Parliament. The vote on the request shall be taken at the beginning of the sitting following that during which the announcement was made, provided that the proposal to which the request relates has been distributed to Members in the official languages. Where there are several requests for urgent 
debate
 on the same subject, the approval or rejection of the request for urgent 
debate
 shall apply to all such requests 
that are on the same subject
.




2.   
Requests
 for 
an
 urgent 
decision
 shall be announced in Parliament 
as soon as possible after they are received by the President
. The vote on the request shall be taken at the beginning of the sitting following that during which the announcement was made, provided that the proposal to which the request relates has been distributed to Members in the official languages. Where there are several requests for 
an
 urgent 
decision
 on the same subject, the approval or rejection of the request for 
an
 urgent 
decision
 shall apply to all such requests.






Amendment 79


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 163 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   Before the vote, only the mover, and one speaker against may be heard, along with the Chair or rapporteur of the committee responsible, or both. None of those speakers may speak for more than three minutes.




3.   Before the vote 
on the request for an urgent decision
, only the mover, and one speaker against may be heard, along with the Chair or rapporteur of the committee responsible, or both. None of those speakers may speak for more than three minutes.






Amendment 80


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 163 – paragraph 4








Present text




Amendment






4.   
Questions to be dealt with by urgent procedure
 shall be given priority over other items on the agenda. The President shall determine the time of the debate and vote.




4.   
Where the request for an urgent decision is approved, the item
 shall be given priority over other items on the agenda. The President shall determine the time of the debate
, where one is appropriate,
 and 
the time of the
 vote.






Amendment 81


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 163 – paragraph 5








Present text




Amendment






5.   
An urgent procedure may be held without a report or, exceptionally, on the basis of an oral report by the committee responsible.






5.   
Parliament shall take the urgent decision on the proposal on the basis of a report from the committee responsible in accordance with the usually applicable rules and with due consideration of the urgency of the matter. In such a case, the examination of the proposal shall be given priority over other items on the committee agenda and the committee responsible shall, where expedient, apply the simplified procedure pursuant to Rule 52.









Where an urgent procedure is used and interinstitutional negotiations take place, Rules 70 and 71 shall not apply. Rule 74 shall apply mutatis mutandis.




 





Amendment 82


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 163 – paragraph 5 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





5a.
   
If requested by the President, a committee, a political group or Members reaching at least the low threshold, Parliament may exceptionally decide to take the urgent decision on the proposal without a report or on the basis of an oral report by the committee responsible. In such cases, if interinstitutional negotiations take place, Rules 70 and 71 shall not apply and Rule 74 shall apply mutatis mutandis.








Amendment 83


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 167 – paragraph 4








Present text




Amendment






4.   
At committee and delegation meetings
 away from the usual places of work, interpretation shall be provided from and into the languages of those members who have confirmed that they will attend the meeting. These arrangements may exceptionally be made more flexible. The Bureau shall adopt the necessary provisions.




4.   
During missions
 away from the usual places of work, interpretation shall be provided from and into the languages of those members who have confirmed that they will attend the meeting. These arrangements 
shall be determined on the basis of the Code of Conduct on multilingualism and
 may exceptionally be made more flexible. The Bureau shall adopt the necessary provisions.






Amendment 84


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 171 – title








Present text




Amendment





Allocation of speaking time 
and list of speakers




Allocation of speaking time





Amendment 85


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 171 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1








Present text




Amendment






3.   Speakers whose interventions are foreseen on the list of speakers shall speak from the central rostrum. Speakers with disabilities may speak from their places if they prefer.




3.   Speakers whose interventions are foreseen on the list of speakers shall speak from the central rostrum
, unless the President decides otherwise when appropriate
. Speakers with disabilities may speak from their places if they prefer.






Amendment 86


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 171 – paragraph 4








Present text




Amendment






4.   The President may draw up, for the first part of a particular debate, a list of speakers that includes one or more rounds of speakers from each political group wishing to speak, in the order of the relative size of those political groups.




4.   The President may draw up, for the first part of a particular debate, a list of speakers that includes one or more rounds of speakers from each political group wishing to speak, in the order of the relative size of those political groups. 
Speaking time allocated to political groups shall be in proportion to the total number of their members.








Amendment 87


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 171 – paragraph 5 – point c








Present text




Amendment











(c)


the 
non-attached
 Members shall be allocated an overall speaking time based on the fractions allocated to each political group under 
points (a) and
 (b);












(c)


the Members 
who do not belong to a political group
 shall be allocated an overall speaking time based on the fractions allocated to each political group under 
point
 (b)
, in proportion to the total number of non-attached Members up to the number of Members provided for in Rule 33(2)
;









Amendment 88


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 171 – paragraph 7








Present text




Amendment






7.   The remaining part of the time for a debate shall not be specifically allocated in advance. Instead, the President may call on Members to speak, as a general rule for no more than one minute. The President shall, as far as possible, ensure that speakers who hold different political views and who come from different Member States are heard in turn.




7.   The remaining part of the time for a debate shall not be specifically allocated in advance. Instead, the President may call on Members to speak, as a general rule for no more than one minute. The President shall, as far as possible, ensure that speakers who hold different political views and who come from different Member States are heard in turn. 
Speaking time allocated to speakers from political groups shall be in proportion to the total number of their members. The Conference of Presidents shall determine the amount of that remaining time for all debates.







Amendment 89


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 171 – paragraph 8 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





8a.
   
As a general rule, Members shall be present for the debate in which they are scheduled to speak or in which they wish to speak.








Amendment 90


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 171 – paragraph 9








Present text




Amendment






9.   The President may give the floor to Members who indicate, by raising a blue card, their wish to put to another Member, during that Member’s speech, a question of no longer than half a minute’s duration related to what that Member has said. The President shall only do so if the speaker agrees to the question and if the President is satisfied that this will lead neither to disruption of the debate nor, through the putting of successive questions by raising a blue card, to a gross imbalance in the political group affinities of Members speaking in that debate. The Member raising the blue card and the speaker shall not be from the same political group, and they shall not both be non-attached Members. Subject to the conditions set out in the second sentence, applied mutatis mutandis, the President may allow the Member who has asked such a question to react to the speaker’s answer for no longer than half a minute. The speaker may then follow up on that reaction.




9.   The President may give the floor to Members who indicate, by raising a blue card 
or by using the electronic system
, their wish to put to another Member, during that Member’s speech, a question of no longer than half a minute’s duration related to what that Member has said. The President shall only do so if the speaker agrees to the question and if the President is satisfied that this will lead neither to disruption of the debate nor, through the putting of successive questions by raising a blue card, to a gross imbalance in the political group affinities of Members speaking in that debate. The Member raising the blue card and the speaker shall not be from the same political group, and they shall not both be non-attached Members. Subject to the conditions set out in the second sentence, applied mutatis mutandis, the President may allow the Member who has asked such a question to react to the speaker’s answer for no longer than half a minute. The speaker may then follow up on that reaction.






Amendment 91


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 207 – paragraph -1 (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





-1.
   
Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the high threshold may, at any time, request the Conference of Presidents to propose to Parliament the setting up of a special committee.








Amendment 92


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 207 – paragraph -1 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 





-1a.
   
Before taking a decision on such a request, the Conference of Presidents may seek a recommendation by the Conference of Committee Chairs.








Amendment 93


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 207 a (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Rule 207a






 




Temporary legislative committees






 





1.
   
When it results from the procedure in Rule 48 or Rule 54 that a matter falls within the competence of more than three committees, without the competence of any committee prevailing, the Conference of Presidents may as a last resort, on the basis of a recommendation by the Conference of Committee Chairs, propose to Parliament the setting up of a temporary legislative committee to deal with a specific proposal for a legally binding act or a pre-legislative strategic document. The recommendation by the Conference of Committee Chairs shall indicate the committees responsible for scrutiny of the implementation of the legislation.







 





2.
   
The numerical strength of a temporary legislative committee shall be decided by Parliament, based on a proposal by the Conference of Presidents. Its term of office shall run from the date of its constitutive meeting until the adoption of the legally binding act, without prejudice to the need for scrutiny activities. In the case of a pre-legislative strategic document, its term of office shall run from the date of its constitutive meeting until the adoption of the report in plenary.







 




Members of a temporary legislative committee shall be appointed by the political groups and the non-attached Members, in principle drawing from the members of the committees involved. The Conference of Presidents shall decide whether one or more rapporteurs are to be appointed at the same time that the proposal is made to set up the committee.






 





3.
   
Other committees shall not be authorised to deliver to temporary legislative committees opinions pursuant to Rule 56.







 





4.
   
Temporary legislative committees shall not have the right to deliver opinions to other committees.








Amendment 94


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 208 – paragraph 10








Present text




Amendment






10.   
Where alleged contraventions or maladministration in the implementation of Union law suggest that a body or authority of a Member State could be responsible, the committee of inquiry may ask
 the 
parliament
 of the Member State concerned to cooperate in the investigation.




10.   
Requests for documents and for witnesses to provide testimony, in accordance with Decision 95/167/EC, Euratom, ECSC shall be formally made by the President at the request of the committee of inquiry. Rule 123a shall apply in case of a refusal of a request for documents or for a witness to provide testimony without sufficient justification.







 




Committees of inquiry may, in accordance with Decision 95/167/EC Euratom, ECSC and with these Rules of Procedure:






 








—




organise fact-finding missions to Member States;










 








—




request documents and expert reports;










 








—




invite witnesses;










 








—




hear officials and other servants of the Union or of Member States;










 








—




request national authorities for assistance in the course of its investigations;










 








—




request
 the 
parliaments
 of the Member State concerned to cooperate in the investigation.








 




The President may invite the witnesses to testify under oath. No one shall be obliged to testify under oath, but formal note shall be taken where a witness declines to testify under oath.







Amendments 147 and 148


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 209 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   The composition of the committees shall, as far as possible, reflect the composition of Parliament. The distribution of committee seats among political groups must be either the nearest whole number above or the nearest whole number below the proportional calculation.




2.   The composition of the committees shall, as far as possible, reflect the composition of Parliament. The distribution of committee seats among political groups must be either the nearest whole number above or the nearest whole number below the proportional calculation.





 




In the process of determining the composition of each committee, political groups should strive for a fair gender representation.






Where there is no agreement among the political groups on their proportional weight within one or more specific committees, the Conference of Presidents shall decide.


Where there is no agreement among the political groups on their proportional weight 
or gender representation
 within one or more specific committees, the Conference of Presidents shall decide.





Amendment 95


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 211








Present text




Amendment







Rule 211






deleted








Questions of competence




 







1.
   
If a standing committee declares itself not to be competent to consider an item, or if a conflict arises over the competence of two or more standing committees, the question of competence shall be submitted to the Conference of Committee Chairs within two weeks of the referral to committee provided for in Rule 48(1). Weeks without parliamentary activities and weeks set aside for external parliamentary activities shall not be taken into account for the purposes of that deadline.





 







2.
   
At the latest at its second meeting after the expiry of the deadline laid down in paragraph 1, the Conference of Committee Chairs or its Chair shall issue a recommendation. The Conference of Presidents shall take a decision on the basis of that recommendation within six weeks after its transmission. If the Conference of Presidents fails to take a decision within that period, the recommendation shall be deemed to have been approved.





 







3.
   
The committee Chairs may enter into agreements with other committee Chairs concerning the allocation of an item to a particular committee, subject, where necessary, to the authorisation of an associated committee procedure under Rule 57.





 




 



(Amendment applies throughout: delete references to Rule 211 and make resulting changes throughout the Rules of Procedure)






Amendment 96


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Rule 222 – paragraph 1 – point a








Present text




Amendment











(a)


shall task the committee responsible for the subject-matter according to Annex VI with organising the public hearing provided for in Article 14(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788; the committee responsible for petitions shall be automatically 
associated under Rule 57
;












(a)


shall task the committee responsible for the subject-matter according to Annex VI with organising the public hearing provided for in Article 14(2) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788; the committee responsible for petitions shall be automatically 
involved in accordance with the principle of good and sincere cooperation as referred to in Rule 56;











Amendment 97


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article -1 (new)








Present text




Amendment





 




Article -1






 




Structure and organisation of portfolios of the Commission






 




Pursuant to Rule 125, before the confirmation hearings, the President shall invite the President-elect of the Commission to inform the Conference of Presidents about the following:






 








—




the planned structure of the new Commission, including the proposed titles of individual portfolios and their possible grouping;










 








—




the allocation of responsibilities (portfolios) in the proposed College of Commissioners in accordance with the political guidelines of the President-elect; and










 








—




other horizontal questions, including gender balance in that College.











Amendment 98


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 1 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   Parliament may seek any information relevant to its reaching a decision on the aptitude of the Commissioners-designate. 
It shall expect
 full disclosure of information relating to their financial interests. The declarations of interest of the Commissioners-designate shall be sent for scrutiny to the committee responsible for legal affairs.




3.   Parliament may seek any information relevant to its reaching a decision on the aptitude of the Commissioners-designate. 
Parliament expects Commissioners-designate to make
 full disclosure of information relating to their financial interests. The declarations of interest of the Commissioners-designate shall be sent for scrutiny to the committee responsible for legal affairs.






Amendment 99


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 2 – title








Present text




Amendment





Examination of declaration of 
financial
 interests


Examination of declaration of interests





Amendment 100


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 2 – paragraph 3 – introductory part








Present text




Amendment






3.   The following guidelines shall be applied when the declarations of 
financial
 interests are scrutinised by the committee responsible for legal affairs:




3.   The following guidelines shall be applied when the declarations of interests are scrutinised by the committee responsible for legal affairs:






Amendment 101


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 2 – paragraph 3 – point a








Present text




Amendment











(a)


if, when scrutinising a declaration of 
financial
 interests, the committee responsible for legal affairs 
deems
, on the basis of the documents presented, the declaration 
to be
 accurate
,
 complete and 
to contain
 nothing indicating an actual or potential conflict of interests in connection with the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate, its Chair shall send a letter confirming this finding to the committees responsible for the hearing or to the committees involved in the event of a procedure taking place during a Commissioner's term of office;












(a)


if, when scrutinising a declaration of interests, the committee responsible for legal affairs 
considers
, on the basis of the documents presented, 
that
 the declaration 
is
 accurate 
and
 complete and 
contains
 nothing indicating an actual or potential conflict of interests in connection with the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate, its Chair shall send a letter confirming this finding to the committees responsible for the 
confirmation
 hearing or to the committees involved in the event of a procedure taking place during a Commissioner's term of office; 
if the committee responsible for legal affairs finds in the declaration of interests of the Commissioner-designate elements, other than those related to financial interests, which should be considered in the overall evaluation of the Commissioner-designate, it shall immediately inform all the committees involved in the confirmation hearing;











Amendment 102


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 2 – paragraph 3 – point b








Present text




Amendment











(b)


if the committee responsible for legal affairs considers that the declaration of interests of a Commissioner-designate contains information which is incomplete or contradictory, or that there is a need for further information, it shall, pursuant to the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission, request the Commissioner-designate to provide supplementary information without undue delay and shall consider and properly analyse it before making its decision; the committee responsible for legal affairs may decide, where appropriate, to invite the Commissioner-designate to a discussion;












(b)


if the committee responsible for legal affairs considers that the declaration of interests of a Commissioner-designate contains information 
related to financial interests,
 which is incomplete or contradictory, or that there is a need for further information 
regarding financial interests
, it shall, pursuant to the Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission, request the Commissioner-designate to provide supplementary information without undue delay and shall consider and properly analyse it before making its decision; the committee responsible for legal affairs may decide, where appropriate, to invite the Commissioner-designate to a discussion;









Amendment 103


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 2 – paragraph 3 – point c








Present text




Amendment











(c)


if the committee responsible for legal affairs identifies a conflict of interests based on the declaration of 
financial
 interests or the supplementary information supplied by the Commissioner-designate, it shall draw up recommendations 
aimed at resolving
 the conflict of interests; the recommendations may include renouncing the financial interests in question or changes to the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate by the President of the Commission; in more serious cases, if no solution is found to the conflict of interests, and as a last resort, the committee responsible for legal affairs may conclude that the Commissioner-designate is unable to exercise his or her functions in accordance with the Treaties and the Code of Conduct; the President of Parliament shall then ask the President of the Commission what further steps the latter intends to take.












(c)


if the committee responsible for legal affairs identifies a conflict of interests 
related to financial interests
 based on the declaration of interests or the supplementary information supplied by the Commissioner-designate, it shall draw up recommendations 
that aim to resolve
 the conflict of interests; the recommendations may include renouncing the financial interests in question or changes to the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate by the President of the Commission; in more serious cases, if no solution is found to the conflict of interests 
related to financial interests
, and as a last resort, the committee responsible for legal affairs may conclude that the Commissioner-designate is unable to exercise his or her functions in accordance with the Treaties and the Code of Conduct; the President of Parliament shall then ask the President of the Commission what further steps the latter intends to take.









Amendment 104


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 3 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   The hearings shall be organised by the Conference of Presidents on a recommendation of the Conference of Committee Chairs. The Chair and coordinators of each committee shall be responsible for the detailed arrangements. 
Rapporteurs may be appointed.






2.   The 
confirmation
 hearings shall be organised by the Conference of Presidents 
based
 on a recommendation of the Conference of Committee Chairs
, which shall specify the proposed allocation of responsibilities among committees as well as the proposed length of each individual confirmation hearing
. The Chair and coordinators of each committee shall be responsible for the detailed arrangements.






Amendment 105


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 3 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   Appropriate arrangements shall be made to 
associate relevant committees where portfolios are mixed
. There are 
three
 options:




3.   Appropriate arrangements shall be made to 
allocate the responsibilities for a confirmation hearing to committees
. There are 
two
 options:











(a)


if the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate falls within the 
remit
 of a single committee, the Commissioner-designate shall be heard by that committee alone (the committee responsible);












(a)


if the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate falls within the 
responsibility
 of a single committee 
or of several committees but with the competence of one committee prevailing
, the Commissioner-designate shall be heard by that committee alone (the committee responsible); 
other committees may be invited to participate in the confirmation hearing if the portfolio falls to a substantial extent within their responsibility;
















(b)


if the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate 
falls more or less equally
 within the 
remit
 of 
more than one committee
, the Commissioner-designate shall be heard jointly by those committees (joint committees); 
and














(b)


if 
significant parts of
 the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate 
fall
 within the 
responsibility
 of 
two or more committees without the competence of any of them prevailing
, the Commissioner-designate shall be heard jointly by those committees; 
other committees may be invited to participate in the confirmation hearing if the portfolio falls to a substantial extent within their responsibility.


















(c)






if the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate falls mainly within the remit of one committee and only to a small extent within the remit of at least one other committee, the Commissioner-designate shall be heard by the committee mainly responsible, with the association of the other committee or committees (associated committees)
.






 





Amendment 106


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 3 – paragraph 5








Present text




Amendment






5.   The committees shall submit written questions to the Commissioners-designate in good time before the hearings. For each Commissioner-designate there shall be two common questions drafted by the Conference of Committee Chairs, the first 
relating
 to the issues of general competence, European commitment and personal independence, and the second 
relating
 to the management of the portfolio and cooperation with Parliament. The committee responsible shall submit five other questions
; sub-questions shall not be allowed
. In the case 
of joint
 committees, 
they
 shall 
each be given
 the right to submit three questions.




5.   The committees shall submit written questions to the Commissioners-designate in good time before the 
confirmation
 hearings. For each Commissioner-designate there shall be two common questions drafted by the Conference of Committee Chairs, the first 
of which shall relate
 to the issues of general competence, European commitment and personal independence, and the second 
of which shall relate
 to the management of the portfolio and cooperation with Parliament. The committee responsible shall submit five other questions. In the case 
the Commissioner-designate is heard jointly by two or more
 committees, 
each of them
 shall 
have
 the right to submit three questions. 
Each invited committee shall have the right to submit one question. Sub-questions shall not be allowed.







The curriculum vitae of the Commissioners-designate and their response to the written questions shall be published on Parliament’s website in advance of the hearing.


The curriculum vitae of the Commissioners-designate and their response to the written questions shall be published on Parliament’s website in advance of the 
confirmation
 hearing.





Amendment 107


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 3 – paragraph 6








Present text




Amendment






6.   
Each hearing shall be scheduled to last three hours
. Hearings shall take place in circumstances, and under conditions, in which Commissioners-designate enjoy 
an equal and
 fair opportunity to present themselves and their opinions.




6.   
Confirmation
 hearings shall take place in circumstances, and under conditions, in which Commissioners-designate enjoy 
a
 fair opportunity to present themselves and their opinions. 
In principle, confirmation hearings shall be scheduled to last for three hours. However, in the case of Commissioners-designate with particularly large or complex portfolios involving more than one committee, the Conference of Committee Chairs may recommend that the confirmation hearing be scheduled to last for up to four hours. The recommended length of the confirmation hearing shall take due account of the number of invited committees in order to allow each of their Chairs to put one question.








Amendment 108


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 3 – paragraph 7








Present text




Amendment






7.   Commissioners-designate shall be invited to make an opening oral statement 
of
 no longer than 15 minutes. 
Up to 25 questions, grouped together by theme whenever possible, shall be put during the course of the hearing. One follow up question may be asked immediately within the allocated time.
 The bulk of the speaking time shall be allotted to political groups, mutatis mutandis in accordance with Rule 171. The conduct of the hearings shall aim to develop a pluralistic political dialogue between the Commissioners-designate and the Members. Before the end of the hearing, the Commissioners-designate shall be given the opportunity to make a brief closing statement.




7.   Commissioners-designate shall be invited to make an opening oral statement
, which shall last
 no longer than 15 minutes. The bulk of the speaking time shall be allotted to political groups, mutatis mutandis in accordance with Rule 171. 
The speaking time allocated to a political group shall be treated as a block, subject to the need to maintain a single harmonised format for each individual confirmation hearing. It shall be up to the political group to distribute that time between its Members participating in the hearing. Speaking time allocated to non-attached Members shall not be treated as a block. The Commissioner-designate shall be given, on average, twice as much time for his or her reply as the time given for the question.
 The conduct of the 
confirmation
 hearings shall aim to develop a pluralistic political dialogue between the Commissioners-designate and the Members. Before the end of the 
confirmation
 hearing, the Commissioners-designate shall be given the opportunity to make a brief closing statement.






Amendment 109


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


VII – Article 3 – paragraph 8








Present text




Amendment






8.   
There shall be
 a live audio-visual transmission of the hearings made available free of charge to the public 
and media
. An indexed recording of the hearings shall be made available to the public within 24 hours.




8.   A live audio-visual transmission of the 
confirmation
 hearings 
shall be
 made available free of charge to the public. An indexed recording of the 
confirmation
 hearings shall be made available to the public within 24 hours.






Amendment 110


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 4 – paragraph 1








Present text




Amendment






1.   The Chair and coordinators shall meet without delay after the hearing to evaluate the individual Commissioners-designate. Those meetings shall be held in camera. The coordinators shall be invited to state whether, in their opinion, the Commissioners-designate are qualified both to be members of the College and to carry out the particular duties they have been assigned. The Conference of Committee Chairs shall design a pro forma template to assist the evaluation.




1.   The Chair and coordinators shall meet without delay after the 
confirmation
 hearing to evaluate the individual Commissioners-designate. Those meetings shall be held in camera. 
The Chairs of the invited committees shall be invited to participate in the evaluation meetings.
 The coordinators 
of the committee responsible
 shall be invited to state whether, in their 
respective opinions
, the Commissioners-designate are qualified both to be members of the College and to carry out the particular duties they have been assigned. The Conference of Committee Chairs shall design a pro forma template to assist the evaluation.






Amendment 111


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 4 – paragraph 2








Present text




Amendment






2.   In the case 
of joint
 committees the Chair and the coordinators of the committees concerned shall act jointly throughout the procedure.




2.   In the case 
a Commissioner designate is heard jointly by two or more
 committees
,
 the Chair and the coordinators of the committees concerned shall act jointly throughout the procedure
, including by holding joint evaluation meetings
.






Amendment 112


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 4 – paragraph 3








Present text




Amendment






3.   There shall be a single evaluation letter for each Commissioner-designate. The opinions of 
all
 the committees 
associated with the hearing shall be included
.




3.   There shall be a single evaluation letter for each Commissioner-designate. The opinions of the 
invited
 committees
, adopted by coordinators representing a simple majority of committee members belonging to a political group, shall be annexed to the evaluation letter
.






Amendment 113


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 4 – paragraph 4 – point c








Present text




Amendment











(c)


If coordinators representing a majority of at least two-thirds of the committee 
membership
 approve the Commissioner-designate, the Chair shall submit a letter on their behalf stating that a large majority approve the Commissioner-designate. Minority views shall be mentioned upon request.












(c)


If coordinators representing a majority of at least two-thirds of the committee 
members belonging to a political group
 approve the Commissioner-designate, the Chair shall submit a letter on their behalf stating that a large majority approve the Commissioner-designate. Minority views shall be mentioned 
in that letter
 upon request.









Amendment 114


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 4 – paragraph 4 – point d








Present text




Amendment











(d)


If coordinators cannot reach a majority of at least two-thirds of the committee 
membership
 to approve the candidate, they 
shall














(d)


If coordinators cannot reach a majority of at least two-thirds of the committee 
members belonging to a political group
 to approve the candidate, they 
may request:
















—




first request
 additional information 
through
 further written questions;













—


additional information 
by means of
 further written questions
, which shall not exceed the number of written questions initially submitted to the Commissioner-designate, or/and
















—


if coordinators are 
still
 dissatisfied, request a resumed hearing of 
1,5
 hour subject to the approval of the Conference of Presidents;













—


a resumed 
confirmation
 hearing of 
one and a half
 hours subject to the approval of the Conference of Presidents.









 




For the purposes of the first subparagraph, first indent, sub-questions shall not be allowed and invited committees shall not have the right to submit additional written questions.






 




Only one set of additional written questions and one resumed confirmation hearing may be requested as part of the evaluation of a Commissioner-designate.






 




Additional written questions and the Commissioner’s-designate replies shall be published on Parliament’s website.







Amendment 115


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 4 – paragraph 4 – point e








Present text




Amendment











(e)


If, further to the application of point (d), coordinators representing a majority of at least two-thirds of the committee 
membership
 approve the Commissioner-designate, the Chair shall submit a letter on their behalf stating that a large majority approve the Commissioner-designate. Minority views shall be mentioned upon request.












(e)


If, further to the application of point (d), coordinators representing a majority of at least two-thirds of the committee 
members belonging to a political group
 approve the Commissioner-designate, the Chair shall submit a letter on their behalf stating that a large majority approve the Commissioner-designate. Minority views shall be mentioned 
in that letter
 upon request.









Amendment 116


Parliament's Rules of Procedure


Annex VII – Article 4 – paragraph 4 – point f








Present text




Amendment











(f)


If, further to the application of point (d), there is still no majority of coordinators representing at least two-thirds of the committee 
membership
 to approve the Commissioner-designate, the Chair shall convene a committee meeting and put to vote the two questions mentioned in paragraph 1. The Chair shall submit a letter stating the committee’s evaluation.












(f)


If, further to the application of point (d), there is still no majority of coordinators representing at least two-thirds of the committee 
members belonging to a political group
 to approve the Commissioner-designate, the Chair shall convene a committee meeting and put to vote the two questions mentioned in paragraph 1. The Chair shall submit a letter stating the committee’s evaluation.










(1)  
            OJ L 113, 19.5.1995, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/1995/167/oj


(2)  Texts adopted of 23 May 2012 (OJ C 264 E, 13.9.2013, p. 41) and 16 April 2014 (OJ C 443, 22.12.2017, p. 39).

(3)  
            OJ L 304, 20.11.2010, p. 47.

(18)  
            
See the relevant decision of the Conference of Presidents.



(18a)  
            
This subparagraph is without prejudice to the other provisions of these Rules of Procedure relating to opinions and assessments on horizontal matters as well as to opinions on budgetary and discharge matters.



(27a)  
            

OJ C 444 I, 22.12.2020, p. 5.




ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/1280/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)