EP Rules of procedure: general revision

By adopting the second report by Mr Richard CORBETT (PES, UK), the European Parliament approved the general revision of the Rules of Procedure, which enter into force in 2004. The aim is to simplify the provisions and to improve their internal logic so as to make parliamentary work more comprehensive in light of the enlargement process. 192 amendments were proposed of which only half of them were adopted. The main points of this revision can be summarised as follows: - composition of political groups : a political group shall comprise Members elected in at least one-fifth of the Member States. The minimum number of Members required to form a political group shall be 16. - termination of office by an MEP : the Conference of Presidents may, acting by a three-fifths majority of the votes cast, representing at least 3 political groups, propose to Parliament that it terminate the holding of office of the President, a Vice-President, a Quaestor, a Chairman or Vice-Chairman of a committee, a Chairman or Vice-Chairman of an interparliamentary delegation, or any other holder of an office elected within the Parliament, where it considers that the Member in question has been guilty of serious misconduct. Such a proposal must be approved by Parliament by a two-thirds majority representing a majority of its component Members. - report on financial responsibility : in order to 'enhance budgetary responsibility', the Parliament proposes that the financial consequences and compatibility of Parliament's reports should already be known before the vote in plenary. A report's explanatory statement should therefore include an assessment of the financial impact of the report. - regarding the right of every Member to speak his or her own language: the Parliament states that all members shall have the right to speak in Parliament in the official language of their choice. Interpretation shall be provided in committee meetings from and into the official languages used and requested by the Members and substitutes of that committee. - On the question of implementing provisions for Community legislation, Parliament may, within 3 months of the date of receipt of a draft implementing measure, object to the measure, notably if it exceeds the implementing powers provided for in the basic instrument. Where there is no part-session before this period expires, or in cases where urgent action is required, the right of response is delegated to the relevant parliamentary committee, which shall write to the Commissioner responsible. - other amendments concern the organisation of Parliament's proceedings, including the appearance before Parliament of the President of the Commission, the Council and/or the High Representative for the CFSP; written questions, which could now be put to the ECB as well as the Council and Commission; the tabling of, and voting on, reports and amendments; explanations of vote (oral explanations to be allowed at most twice per MEP per sitting); the abolition of urgent debates, to be replaced by other arrangements; exceptional convening of Parliament in emergencies. On debates on issues in the news, the topical and urgent procedure will now be limited to one hour on human rights questions but there is now a new procedure for a debate of up toone hour on a major crisis relevant to the EU.�