EP Rules of Procedure: adaptation of the Rules to the revised Framework Agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the Commission

The European Parliament decided to adapt Parliament's Rules of Procedure to the revised framework agreement on relations between the European Parliament and the European Commission (see also ACI/2010/2118).

The main amendments made to the Rule of Procedure are as follows:

Confidentiality: the Bureau shall lay down rules concerning the treatment of confidential information by Parliament and its bodies, office-holders and other Members, taking into account any interinstitutional agreement concluded on such matters. Those rules shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and annexed to these Rules of Procedure.

Commission’s work programme: the Commission's annual legislative and work programme is being replaced by the Work Programme. The resolution states that the Work Programme is the Commission’s contribution to the Union’s annual and multiannual programming.

International agreements: as regards the negotiations on the conclusion of international agreements, Parliament should be provided with immediate, regular and full information, if necessary on a confidential basis, at all stages of the negotiation and conclusion of international agreements, including the draft and the finally adopted text of negotiating directives.

Where the Commission informs Parliament and the Council of its intention to propose the provisional application or suspension of an international agreement, a statement shall be made in Parliament, followed by a debate.

The same procedure shall apply when the Commission informs Parliament of a proposal concerning the positions to be adopted on the Union's behalf in a body set up by an international agreement.

Questions: a question shall be inadmissible if an identical or similar question has been put down and answered during the preceding three months, or to the extent that it merely seeks information on the follow-up to a specific resolution of Parliament of a kind which the Commission has already provided in a written follow-up communication, unless there are new developments or the author is seeking further information.

Penalties: in cases of infringement, the chair of the committee shall proceed in accordance with Rules 9(2), 152, 153 and 154.