Attribution of files to committees (Rules 48 and 59)

Joint committee procedure (Rule 59)

The joint committee procedure (Rule 59, ex Rule 58) has been reformed. Its paragraph 1 now states that if a matter falls within the competence of two or three committees, without the competence of any of them prevailing, the procedure involving joint meetings of committees and a joint vote may be applied under Rule 48 or Rule 55. Each committee must appoint one rapporteur. A newly added second sentence within Rule 59(2) first sub-paragraph states that the chair of meetings must alternate between the chairs of the committees involved, unless otherwise agreed between the chairs. A newly added third sentence within Rule 59(2) second sub-paragraph states that for the calculation of quora, majorities and thresholds, all committees involved are to be considered to constitute a single committee. The associated committee procedure (ex Rule 57), which existed until the reform, is abolished.

Opinion-giving committees (rewritten Rule 57)

Under the modified Rule 48(1), when referring a proposal to one or more committees responsible, Parliament's President may refer proposals to one or more committees for them to draft an opinion, in accordance with the entirely rewritten Rule 57 (ex Rule 56). According to a new provision – Rule 48(4) – any committee to which the President has not referred the proposal for an opinion has 2 weeks to request an authorisation from the CCC to draw up such an opinion. That request must 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 CCC or its chair must take a decision at its next meeting and inform the President. According to amended Rule 57(1), committees may be authorised to deliver an opinion pursuant to Rule 48 or Rule 55 if a matter falls to a substantial extent within their competence according to Annex VI.

Rule 57(2) states that 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 must keep each other informed and should endeavour to agree on the texts that they decide to propose to their committees and on their positions with regard to amendments. The second subparagraph of Rule 57(3) states that the committee responsible must set a reasonable deadline by which opinion-giving committees must deliver their opinions if they are to be taken into account by the committee responsible. Any changes to the announced timetable must be communicated immediately by the committee responsible to the opinion-giving committees, together with the justification for such a change. The committee responsible is not allowed to reach its final conclusions before that deadline has expired.

Rule 57(8) states that the rapporteur of the opinion-giving committee must also be invited in an advisory capacity to shadows' meetings and preparatory meetings taking place within the framework of interinstitutional negotiations. However, as regards the ordinary legislative procedure, this rule applies only to the first-reading stage. A Rule 57(5) provides that amendments from an opinion-giving committee that are not adopted by the committee responsible may be tabled by that opinion-giving committee directly for consideration by Parliament, i.e. for plenary.

Temporary legislative committees (new Rule 214)

A new Rule 214 allows for temporary legislative committees to be set up in situations where the subject matter falls within the competence of more than three committees without the competence of any committee prevailing. In such situations, according to Rule 214(1), the CoP may as a last resort, on the basis of a recommendation from the CCC, 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. Under Rule 214(2), the numerical strength of a temporary legislative committee is to be decided by Parliament, on the basis of a proposal by the CoP. The temporary committee's term of office will 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 pre-legislative strategic documents, its term of office will run from the date of its constitutive meeting until the adoption of the report in plenary. Members of a temporary legislative committee will be appointed by the political groups and the non-attached Members, in principle drawing from the members of the committees involved. At the same time that the proposal is made to set up the committee, the CoP will decide whether one or more rapporteurs are to be appointed. When a file is being dealt with by a temporary legislative committee, other committees will not be authorised to deliver opinions pursuant to Rule 57 (Rule 214(3)). Temporary legislative committees will not have the right to deliver opinions to other committees (Rule 214(4)).

Budgetary assessment (new Rule 58)

A new procedure for budgetary assessment has been established in the new Rule 58, providing for extensive competences for the committee responsible for budgetary issues (BUDG committee). Under its paragraph 1, where a proposal for a legally binding act has implications for the Union budget, the President must refer that proposal to the committee responsible for budgetary issues, in parallel to referring it to the committee(s) responsible and opinion-giving committee(s) pursuant to Rule 48(1). The BUDG committee must 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.

Notwithstanding the budgetary assessment procedure, the BUDG committee may also be authorised to deliver opinions under Rule 57 or to act jointly with one or more committees under Rule 59. According to Rule 58(2), the committee responsible for the subject matter must set a deadline within which the budgetary assessment is to be provided. The BUDG committee must be informed immediately of any changes to the announced timetable. The committee responsible for the subject matter may not adopt its report before that deadline has expired.

The content of the budgetary assessment is set out in Rule 58(3)-(4). Under Rule 58(3), BUDG must 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 must also determine whether the proposal is compatible with the multiannual financial framework (MFF), the system of own resources and the corresponding interinstitutional agreement, as well as the budgetary principles laid down in the Financial Regulation. Where applicable, the BUDG committee must 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. Under Rule 58(4), the budgetary assessment consists 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 are inadmissible. The budgetary assessment, including the amendments, will be integrated into the report.

Rule 58(5) sets out the principles of cooperation between BUDG and the committee responsible. It states that they should cooperate throughout the procedure to ensure full consistency between policy and budgetary objectives. To this end, they must invite each other's rapporteurs to their discussions within Parliament relating to the proposal for a legally binding act, including to meetings between the rapporteurs and shadow rapporteurs.

According to Rule 58(6), Parliament's negotiating team at trilogue negotiations must also include the rapporteur from the BUDG committee responsible for the aspects referred to in paragraph 3 of Rule 58. Where a budgetary assessment is not provided, the committee responsible for the subject matter may ask BUDG to provide the negotiating team with assistance on the aspects referred to in paragraph 3 at any stage in the interinstitutional negotiations.

Use of Article 122 TFEU as a legal basis (new Rule 138)

A new Rule 138 provides for the European Commission President to make an explanatory statement to Parliament when it has decided to use Article 122 TFEU as a legal basis for a legislative proposal. According to Article 122(1) TFEU, on a proposal from the Commission, the Council may decide – in a spirit of solidarity between Member States – to take measures appropriate to an economic situation, in particular if severe difficulties arise in the supply of certain products, notably in the area of energy. Paragraph 2 of that article states that where a Member State is in difficulty or is seriously threatened with severe difficulties caused by natural disasters or exceptional occurrences beyond its control, the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, may grant, under certain conditions, Union financial assistance to the Member State concerned. The President of the Council must inform the European Parliament of the decision taken.

According to Rule 138(1) sub-paragraph 1, whenever the Commission plans to adopt a proposal using Article 122 TFEU as its legal basis, Parliament's President will invite the Commission President to make a statement to Parliament explaining the reasons for the choice of that legal basis, and outlining the main objectives and elements of the proposal. The statement must be made prior to the formal adoption of the proposal by the Commission. Failing that, it must, in principle, be included in the draft agenda of the first part-session following the adoption of the proposal by the Commission, unless the CoP decides otherwise. According to Rule 138(2), Parliament's President must refer the proposal to the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) for verification of the legal basis. If JURI decides to question the validity or appropriateness of the legal basis, it must report its conclusions to Parliament, if necessary orally.

Accelerated, simplified and urgent procedures

Trilogue (Rule 75)

The modified wording of Rule 75(1) (ex Rule 74(1)) now provides that Parliament's negotiating teams at trilogue (which, as before, are led by the rapporteur and presided over by the chair of the committee responsible or by a vice-chair designated by the chair) may not be presided over by a shadow rapporteur for the report concerned. Moreover, if neither the chair nor a vice-chair is able to attend a specific trilogue meeting, the chair must inform Parliament's President before the meeting takes place that the negotiating team will, exceptionally, be presided over by the rapporteur at that trilogue meeting.

Co-rapporteurship (new Rule 54)

A newly inserted Rule 54 provides for co-rapporteurship of up to three co-rapporteurs as an exceptional measure. This can be authorised by the CoP at the request of the committee responsible. As a rule, co-rapporteurs should come from different political groups. The second paragraph of the rule states that co-rapporteurship will not be authorised in the following cases: (i) joint reports under Rule 59; (ii) opinions under Rule 57; and (iii) own-initiative reports under Rule 55; it will however be allowed for own-initiative reports of a budgetary or institutional nature.

Parliament's indirect legislative initiative (Rule 47)

Certain modifications have been introduced to the rules concerning Parliament's right of legislative initiative, enshrined in Article 225 TFEU. According to Rule 47(2) sub-paragraph 7, where the committee responsible for the subject matter has decided to draw up an own-initiative report in accordance with Rule 55 and the President has not referred it to the JURI committee for an opinion on the appropriateness of the legal basis, the committee responsible for the subject matter must request such an opinion from that committee, which must be delivered without undue delay. According to new Rule 47(4), the BUDG committee may provide the committee responsible for the subject matter with an opinion on the potential financial implications of the proposal. It must provide such an opinion if so requested by the committee responsible for the subject matter.

New Rule 47(6) states that Parliament's resolution is to 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 39(2). Under sub-paragraph 2, after the expiry of the 3-month deadline set out in paragraph 16, third sub-paragraph, 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 can be invited to make a statement in plenary in accordance with Rule 132, to inform Parliament of the follow-up action it intends to take. According to sub-paragraph 3, if such a statement is not placed on the agenda of the first or second part-session following the expiry of the deadline, the committee responsible for the subject matter should invite the Commissioner responsible to provide the information at one of its forthcoming meetings.

Allocation of own-initiative and non-legislative reports (Rule 55)

The reform added a new paragraph 6 to Rule 55 (ex Rule 54) on own-initiative reports. Its first sub‑paragraph states that committee chairs can enter into agreements with other committee chairs concerning the allocation of an own-initiative report or a non-legislative report to a particular committee. The second sub-paragraph states that if a question of competence arises among two or more standing committees, the matter is to be examined by the CCC. If no agreement is found among the committees, the CCC or its chair must issue a recommendation. Then, it is up to the CoP to take a decision on the basis of that recommendation at its earliest possible meeting and at the latest within 6 weeks of receiving the recommendation. If the CoP fails to take a decision within that period, the recommendation will be deemed to have been approved.

Parliament's position on the draft budget (Rule 96)

Within Chapter 6 on 'Budgetary procedures', the reform has amended Rule 96 (ex Rule 94) (Parliament's position on the draft budget). A new paragraph 4, sub-paragraph 1, inserted to this rule requires that amendments concerning pilot projects and preparatory actions must 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 under Rule 47 are to be sent to the Commission for information purposes.

According to a new second sub-paragraph within this paragraph, the BUDG committee will lay down the procedure and timetable for the executability assessment for each year. That procedure and timetable must allow sufficient time for the preparation of amendments to the Council's position on the draft budget. The BUDG committee must 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. 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 are to be given priority in voting.

Scope of the discharge procedure (Rule 101)

Within Rule 101 (ex Rule 99), an interpretive comment (in italics) has been added, which clarifies that discharge to the Commission includes non-traditionally financed instruments, off-budget instruments and performance-based hybrid instruments. It further explains that since such instruments require a special control framework, the CONT committee must be systematically associated with the consideration of those instruments in accordance with Rule 57.

Special scrutiny hearings (new Rule 141)

A new Rule 141 establishes a format for 'special scrutiny hearings'. The purpose of these hearings is to question one or more Commissioners on an issue of major political importance (Rule 141(1)). They can be convened by the CoP upon a proposal by: (a) the President, (b) a committee, or (c) by Members or a political group or groups reaching at least the medium threshold. These hearings can be convened at short notice. It will be up to the CoP to determine the number of Members to be appointed for a given special scrutiny hearing by the political groups and the non‑attached Members (Rule 141(2)). Where relevant, political groups will ensure that the committees concerned are duly represented. A special scrutiny hearing will be chaired by the President or, by delegation, by one of the vice-presidents (Rule 141(3) first sentence). It will be entirely public unless the CoP decides otherwise (Rule 141(3) second sentence). Speaking time allocated to a political group will be treated as a block and it will be up to each political group to distribute the speaking time within its block between those of its members who are participating in the hearing (Rule 141(4)). However, the speaking time allocated to non-attached Members will not be treated as a block. The special scrutiny hearing may end with the submission of written recommendations to the CoP by the chair (i.e. President or Vice-President) on behalf of Members who participated in the hearing.

Question time (Rule 143)

Parliamentary question time with the Commission was introduced in 1973 but was not used between 2013 and 2022. The rules on question time have now been reformed to strengthen the format. According to a new paragraph within the rule on question time (Rule 143(2), ex Rule 137), as a general rule, once per part-session, a special scrutiny session will be held with the European Commission President or selected Commissioners without a pre-defined theme. Amended Rule 143(3) will allow for a question time session with the entire Commission or with categories of Commissioners. During question time, Members will not have pre-allocated seats and they will be encouraged to sit at the front of the chamber (new paragraph 7).

Committees of inquiry (Rule 215)

The rule on committees of inquiry (Rule 215, ex Rule 208) has been modified to include a new paragraph laying down detailed rules on collecting evidence (Rule 215(10)). According to Rule 215(10) sub-paragraph 1, requests for documents and for witnesses to provide testimony must be made formally by the President at the request of the committee of inquiry. Rule 127 (on expected cooperation, see below) will apply in cases of insufficiently justified refusals in response to a request for documents or for a witness to provide testimony. According to Rule 215(10) sub-paragraph 2, committees of inquiry may, in accordance with Decision 95/167/EC, Euratom, ECSC, of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, governing the exercise of the right of inquiry: (i) organise fact-finding missions to Member States; (ii) request documents and expert reports; (iii) invite witnesses; (iv) hear officials and other servants of the Union or of Member States; (v) ask national authorities for assistance in the course of investigations; (vi) ask the parliaments of the Member State concerned to cooperate in the investigation. The President may invite the witnesses to testify under oath. No one will be obliged to testify under oath, but formal note will be taken where a witness declines to testify under oath.

Scrutiny of implementation (Rule 156)

Within the rules concerning the European Parliament's relations with national parliaments, a new provision (Rule 156(3) second sentence, ex Rule 150) suggests that a committee may engage directly in dialogue with national parliaments at committee level for purposes of pre-legislative and post‑legislative cooperation, including scrutiny of the implementation of Union law and Union policies. If a legislative file is being dealt with by a temporary legislative committee (Rule 214), the Conference of Presidents must decide which committee(s) will be responsible for the scrutiny of such legislation once it is adopted.

Expected cooperation (new Rule 127)

A new Rule 127 states that a representative of a Union institution or body and any other person will be expected to cooperate in the case of requests to attend meetings of committees and special scrutiny hearings and to supply relevant documents to the committees and for such hearings. If they do not cooperate, a committee or the chair of a special scrutiny hearing may ask the President to take action. The President, after consulting the Conference of Presidents, must decide whether to apply one or more of the following measures: (i) an instruction to the Secretary-General to seek authorisation from the Quaestors to withdraw or deactivate long-term access badges; (ii) a formal statement expressing Parliament's dissatisfaction; (iii) 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; (iv) any other appropriate measures.

Ad hoc plenary session (Rule 160)

According to a newly inserted paragraph 5 in Rule 160 (ex Rule 154), 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.

Plenary debates on matters of interest to the EU (new Rule 167)

A new Rule 167 allows for a debate and possible adoption of a resolution that does not follow an initial statement by the Commission, Council or European Council or an oral question to the Commission, High Representative for Foreign Affairs or Council. The novelty of Rule 167 lies not in the adoption of a resolution winding up a debate, but in the possibility of holding a debate and adopting a reslution without an initial statement by one or other institution.

Allocation of speaking time (Rule 178)

The provisions of Rule 178 (ex Rule 171) concerning allocation of speaking time in plenary, which apply also (with necessary adaptations) to committees, have been modified. As regards the first part of a particular debate, a new second sentence within Rule 178(4) states that speaking time allocated to political groups will be in proportion to the total number of their members. A modification has been introduced as regards speaking time for non-attached Members. Previously, under ex Rule 175(5)(c), they were allocated an overall speaking time based on the fractions allocated to each political group under points (a) (equal time for all groups) and (b) (time in proportion to group size) of ex Rule 175(5). Now, under amended Rule 178(5)(c), non-attached Members are allocated an overall speaking time based on the fractions allocated to each political group under point (b) of Rule 178(c) in proportion to the total number of non-attached Members, up to the number of Members provided for in Rule 33(2), i.e. 23.

According to Rule 178(7), during the 'catch-the-eye' part of a debate, speaking time allocated to speakers from political groups will have to be in proportion to the total number of their members. The Conference of Presidents will have the power to determine the amount of time remaining for the 'catch the eye' part for all debates.

External relations (Rule 27)

According to the new provision of Rule 27(8) RoP, the CoP must now authorise missions outside the usual places of work, and interparliamentary meetings.

Recommendations on external policies (Rule 121)

Rule 121(1) now requires the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) to obtain advance authorisation, in accordance with the procedure set out in Rule 55 (own‑initiative reports) if it intends to adopt recommendations to the Council, Commission or High Representative on the Union's external action. Furthermore, Rule 121(3) has been amended to allow other committees to adopt opinions, in line with the procedure set out in Rule 57.

Fair gender representation in committees (Rule 216)

According to a newly inserted sub-paragraph 2 within Rule 216(2) (ex Rule 209) concerning the composition of committees, in the process of determining the composition of each committee, political groups should strive for a fair gender representation.

Languages (Rule 174)

Amended Rule 174(4) on languages now applies to missions away from the usual place of work (previously it applied to committee and delegation meetings away from the usual places of work), and it now refers to the Code of Conduct on Multingualism (adopted on 24 June 2024 by the Bureau) as the basis for linguistic arrangements during such missions.

Special committees (Rule 213)

The rule on special committees has been amended by introducing two new paragraphs at the beginning. According to new paragraph 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. According to new paragraph 2, before taking a decision on such a request, the Conference of Presidents may seek a recommendation from the Conference of Committee Chairs. The remaining part of Rule 213 has not been amended.