The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament’s political groups (CoP) endorsed, on Thursday 13 April, without modification, the proposals made by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to streamline relations between MEPs and their staff and representatives of certain third countries.
The guidelines clarify practices for access to Parliament’s premises, missions to the third countries concerned and meetings with representatives of these countries, the European Parliament press service confirmed. As anticipated (see EUROPE 13160/2), they identify three categories of third countries at risk.
Russia and Belarus. Russia and Belarus are subject to new EU sanctions following Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine.
As is already the case, representatives of these two countries will normally not have access to the European Parliament. Ms Metosla could exceptionally authorise such access, on the proposal of the Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and only with a view to improving diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to a document consulted by EUROPE.
Official missions by MEPs to Russia and Belarus are forbidden as long as the war continues. However, meetings with representatives of these countries could be allowed on a case-by-case basis in the context of international events.
China and Iran. As long as these two countries directly sanction MEPs, Chinese and Iranian parliamentarians will not be allowed access to Parliament’s premises. And no official mission will be organised to China and Iran unless such a mission includes at least one MEP who is subject to sanctions by these two countries.
Bilateral contacts with representatives of these two countries should be limited to meetings with persons in official positions (‘office holders’) and be notified to the European Parliament’s administration. They may take place in the context of official international meetings.
Qatar and Morocco. As a precautionary measure, persons representing the interests of Qatar and Morocco, i.e. those listed in the European Transparency Register, will no longer have access to Parliament’s premises while the legal proceedings on the alleged scandal of corruption of MEPs by third countries are ongoing.
At the beginning of March, Qatar Airways was the only Qatari entity listed in the European register, according to the note seen by EUROPE. There were none on the Moroccan side.
No official missions to these two countries will be allowed until the courts have given their verdict. Only missions for participation in international events, such as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean, could be authorised on a case-by-case basis.
Finally, MEPs will have to declare to Ms Metsola any bilateral meetings held with diplomats and government representatives from Qatar and Morocco.
The guidelines agreed on Thursday will be reviewed on a regular basis in the light of developments in the third countries concerned. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)