14/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - The framework agreement recently negotiated between the Commission and the Parliament has raised concerns in the Council, which feels that “a number of provisions of the agreement do not respect the spirit of the Treaties”, according to Olivier Chastel, addressing the committee on constitutional affairs of the EP on 13 July. The Council has written to the President of the EP to notify its position and call for continued informal contact “to seek to ensure that our legitimate concerns are taken into account”, said the Belgian Secretary of State for European Affairs, speaking on behalf of the Council. The member states are concerned that the EP/Commission agreement, which will govern the “special partnership” between the two institutions over the next five years, changes the “institutional balance”, Mr Chastel explained. The legal services of the Council are currently examining the text of the agreement. (H.B./trans.fl)