Brussels, 02/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - The conference of the presidents of the European Parliament gave its endorsement, on 1 July, to the draft framework agreement on relations with the European Commission that negotiators of the two institutions concluded on 29 June (EUROPE 10170). The agreement, which has still to be approved by the plenary session, will govern the “special partnership” that the two parties have agreed to develop over the next five years. The text negotiated with Commission Vice President Maroš Šefèoviè has been forwarded to the EP committee on constitutional affairs, which will prepare a report for the autumn (Rapporteur: Paulo Rangel, EPP, Portugal). It should then be voted in plenary.
International agreements. The last points opened, and settled on 29 June, concerned the way in which MEPs will, in future, be involved in negotiating international agreements (the Lisbon Treaty foresees that the Parliament must practically approve all international agreements except those under ESDP). It was agreed with the Commission, which is negotiating on behalf of the EU, that the “Parliament shall be immediately and fully informed at all stages of the negotiation and conclusion of internal agreements, including the definition of negotiating directives”. In practical terms, this means that for all international agreements requiring EP approval, the latter should receive, during talks, exactly the same information as that received by the Council. Special provisions will also be taken to allow the transfer of “confidential documents” between the Commission and the EP. During international conferences where it represents the EU, the Commission must also “facilitate” the inclusion of MEPs in the European delegation, but only as “observers”. It is explicitly stipulated in the agreement that these observer MEPs “may not participate directly in these negotiations”. In future, the Commission should also inform the budgetary authority (Council and EP) before taking financial pledges on behalf of the EU at donors' conferences. (H.B./transl.jl)