Amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure concerning Rule 7 on defence of privileges and immunity and Rule 9 on procedures on immunity

The European Parliament adopted by 610 votes to 26, with 9 abstentions, a decision on amendments to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure concerning Rule 7 on defence of privileges and immunity and Rule 9 on procedures on immunity.

The Rules of Procedure need to be modified to bring them in line with Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 implementing enhanced cooperation on the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Article 29(2) of that Regulation provides that, where the investigations of the EPPO involve persons protected by privileges or immunities under the Union law, the European Chief Prosecutor has to make the request for their lifting. Since the Rules of Procedure do not provide for this possibility, they must be aligned with that provision.

With regard to the request for lifting the immunity, Members propose to include a reference to the European Chief Prosecutor into the relevant provisions of Rule 9 of the Rules of Procedure. The other amendments deal with a possible infringement of Members’ immunities and an inquiry on the scope of Members' immunities. A more general reference to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is introduced.