Legislative Initiative reports request Commission to act at last

The Framework Agreement generally defines the political duties, which each institution has towards the other and determines rules for the exchange of information. The aim is also to achieve better planning and coordination of legislative procedures. The EP demands a greater say in particular with regard to legislative procedures, because it is still the Commission that has the initiative right for new legislative proposals. It is now intended to introduce a reform concerning the legislative initiative reports passed by the EP. The Commission has committed itself to reporting on the concrete subsequent dealing with the requests for legislative initiatives within three months after the EP has accepted a legislative initiative report:  the Commission is basically obliged to submit a legislative proposal after the expiry of one year at the latest; if this is not possible, the Commission will explain its reasons for this in detail to the European Parliament. A milestone for the EP, because to-date the Commission has hardly taken any notice of most of the initiative reports.

Key initiatives of the Commission must first be introduced to Parliament

In addition, the EP has negotiated to improve agreements with regard to planning the programme of the Commission by a number of measures. Among others, selected key initiatives of the Commission will be presented first in plenary and only afterwards to the public. Apart from that, plenary meetings will now include a Question Hour with Commissioners, including the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Parliament has also achieved that the Commission guarantees to apply the basic principle of equal treatment for Parliament and the Council – in particular with regard to access to meetings and the comprehensive documentation about meetings with national experts. Parliament can also ask the President of the Commission to withdraw confidence in an individual Member of the Commission. If this happens, Barroso must, after careful consideration, ask the Commissioner to resign or explain his refusal to do so before Parliament in the following session.

The Framework Agreement must be ready by mid June

Following the informal concessions of Barroso with regard to the Framework Agreement, official negations will now begin between EP and Commission. Legally, these are only possible after the Commission has taken office. There are, however, no obstacles to these negotiations so that the EP will probably adopt its ambitious target in June.

Further information:

Resolution of the European Parliament on a revised Framework Agreement between the EP and the Commission