Brussels, 20/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 20 October, the European Parliament formally approved the framework agreement which will govern working relations with the Commission until the end of this Parliament in 2014. The agreement, signed by the presidents of the two institutions José Manuel Barroso and Jerzy Buzek immediately after the vote, was finalised on 29 June (see EUROPE 10170) and approved by the conference of the presidents on 1 July (see EUROPE 10173). The Commission and EP are seeking to build a “special partnership” and, to that end, have set the rules which will enhance cooperation and facilitate circulation of information. The agreement also gives the EP a more important role in negotiations on international agreements.
Equality of treatment. The Commission pledges to treat the EP and the Council as equals. This includes access to meetings and making available submissions and other information, particularly on legislative and budgetary issues. There is also provision for the Commission president to hold discussions at least twice a year with the EP Conference of the Presidents on issues of joint interest. He will also meet regularly with the president of the EP to discuss major cross-cutting issues and the main legislative proposals. The EP president will sometimes be invited to attend meeting of the college of commissioners. Meetings will be held annually between the conference of the presidents or the conference of committee chairs and the college of commissioners to debate, in particular, the preparation and implementation of the Commission work programme.
Requirement to respond to resolutions. In future, the Commission will have to react in writing to all resolutions adopted by the EP. No later than three months after adoption (this timescale may even be shortened in cases of emergency or extended to four months for complex issues), the Commission will have to write to the EP to inform it of measures taken in response to specific requests in the resolution, “including cases where it has not been able to follow Parliament's views”. The Commission has also pledged to work closely with the EP, from an early stage, on all requests from citizens for legislative initiatives.
International agreements. “Parliament shall be immediately and fully informed at all stages of the negotiations and conclusion of international agreements, including the definition of negotiating directives,” the framework agreement states. For all international agreements which require EP approval, MEPs will necessarily have to receive, in the course of negotiations, exactly the same information as the Council. In international conferences where it is representing the EU, the Commission will also have to “facilitate” inclusion of MEPs in the European delegation, though only as observers. (H.B./transl.rt)