Brussels, 12/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - TheEuropean Parliament believes that in light of the four years of experience with the Lisbon Treaty, “improvements to and the formalisation of the working relations between the European Council and Parliament appear necessary and should take the form of a joint declaration, an inter-institutional agreement or an exchange of letters”.
By adopting (with no amendments) the report by Alain Lamassoure (EPP, France) on the relations between the EP and European Council, MEPs considered that, due to the pressure created by the crisis, the European Council has extended its role considerably. MEPs also believe that the Council has not complied with the “fundamental undertaking of the treaty”, which stipulates that the European Council does not possess any legislative functions. The EP considers that the “attempt by heads of state and government to resort to inter-governmental expedients has compromised the 'Community method', in violation of the treaties”.
The EP also suggests that every European Council meeting should be preceded by a debate at the European Parliament, followed by the adoption of a resolution, in the presence of the president of the European Council. It proposes that a general debate be organised on the EU's internal and external situation every year at the Parliament, attended by the president of the Council, the high representative for foreign affairs and the president of the Commission.
Parliament also calls on the European Council to fully respect the Lisbon Treaty by making it clear how it intends to apply the treaty during the election of the next president of the Commission by the European Parliament.
The EP notes that the European Council conclusions are instructions for negotiations for ministers from the Council and do not in any way constitute non-negotiable red lines with Parliament. The EP also insists that the president of the parliament should fully participate in the European Council meetings when inter-institutional issues are being discussed. The EP emphasises that the customary introductory speech by the president of the parliament at the opening of the summit “is not a sufficient procedure”. In so far as it is possible, the EP says that European Council meetings should not take place during the weeks when Parliament is in session.
What do the treaties stipulate? Declaration 11 explains that “the European Parliament and European Council have a joint responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of the process leading to the election of the president of the European Commission. As a consequence, representatives from the European Parliament and European Council will initially proceed, after the European Council decision, to the necessary consultations in a framework deemed most appropriate. These consultations will focus on the candidates' profile and the role of the president of the Commission, whilst taking into account the European Parliament elections, in compliance with Article 17, Paragraph, subparagraph 1”. According to the latter, by taking into account the European elections, and after the appropriate consultations, the European Council, voting by qualified majority, will propose a candidate to the European Parliament for the role of president of the Commission. The European Parliament by a majority of the members will elect this candidate. If this candidate does not command a majority, the European Council voting by qualified majority, will propose, within the period of a month, a new candidate, who will be elected by the European Parliament according to the same procedure. (LC/transl.fl)