Debate: Parliament’s right of initiative
Date: WEDNESDAY, 8 JUNE 2022
Speaker: Maroš Šefčovič
Language: EN

I would like to underscore that the European Commission is fully aware of the importance of the question of the right of initiative for the European Parliament. So from the outset I want to assure you of the Commission’s full commitment to continuing the positive cooperation with Parliament and its committees in these matters. As you know, the President of the Commission in her political guidelines stressed that she supports the right of initiative for the European Parliament. Just to quote her very precisely, she noted that when the European Parliament, acting by a majority of its Members, adopts resolutions requesting that the Commission submit legislative proposals, the Commission would commit to responding with a legislative act in full respect of proportionality, subsidiarity and better law—making principles. I hope you would agree with me that the Commission has been taking this commitment very seriously. We have adapted our working method to ensure that the work on this resolution is coordinated on a weekly basis, and that the College of Commissioners debates all replies to Parliament’s resolutions adopted under Article 225 of the Treaty. I really would like to thank for his good cooperation Antonio Tajani, former chair of the CCC, and Bernd Lange, with whom we are working right now, because here I think that we really improved our coordination and cooperation, and also our upstream exchange of information.  This good cooperation has also translated into very concrete figures. Parliament has adopted 18 resolutions up to now, in this legislative period. The Commission has already replied to all of them, with the last replies being sent yesterday. Of the 18, the Commission replied positively to 17 of them, and I think we all would agree that we have been quite glad that we do not have to respond to the last one because it was on MFF contingency planning, and I think we’ve all been quite pleased and happy that we didn’t need it because we had the MFF approved – as we all preferred, of course. I have to say that this positive tendency and trend is also reflected in the Commission’s work programme, and I am glad that I can inform you that we have already delivered on almost all the legislative acts requested, with 90% already adopted, and we are actively working on those which are still outstanding. So this just underlines the Commission’s willingness to work together with the European Parliament. So I am very pleased that the report being put to a vote today acknowledges the Commission for delivering on the President’s clear political commitment in relation to the follow—up to this resolution. We also would like to reassure you that we take good note of the call in the report for a more generalised, direct right of initiative of the Parliament. It is clear that such a broader right would require Treaty change. In the Commission’s view, such an idea would require very thorough reflection on the respective competences of the institutions and the balance between them, as well as on the legal, procedural and practical implications. Meanwhile, I would like again to underline the commitment that the Commission will continue to honour the commitment to follow—up on Article 222 resolutions, as we have done until now. I really would like to thank the honourable Members and the JURI and AFCO Committees for the great cooperation in this matter, and I look forward to continuing our upstream coordination with the CCC.