Strasbourg, 18/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - Following its rapporteur, Swedish Liberal Cecelia Malmstrom, the European Parliament approved the schedule regarding the European Commission's legislative and working programme, and, on the same occasion, amended its Rules of Procedure to take account of this new method of co-operation with the Commission (the current Rules of Procedure provides, for example, for the state of advancement and implementation of the annual legislative programme every six months). This schedule provides for, among other things: - between March and May, a "structured bilateral dialogue" between the parliamentary committees concerned and the Commissioners responsible; - in the period from June to July, an assessment by the Conference of chairs of the parliamentary committees and the Vice-Chairman of the European Commission responsible for relations with Parliament (Loyola de Palacio: Ed.);- in September, a "stock-taking exercise" of the Conference of chairs of the committees with the Vice-President of the Commission, on the basis of a document from the latter on the updating of the political priorities in relation to the March/May period; - in November, formal presentation in plenary by the Commission of participation by the whole of the College in the Commission's legislative and work programme for the following year, accompanied by an assessment of the execution of the ongoing programme.
In her report, Cecelia Malmstrom stressed that the annual legislative programme was an "inestimable instrument for the working of European institutions" (regulated by the 5 July 2000 framework-agreement on EP/Commission relations), but also notes that the procedures are not always followed, notably regarding the participation of Parliamentary Committees. Priorities must be more clearly established and involve earlier, in the work of preparing the annual legislative programme both Parliament and the Council, she said, praising the new method introduced. During Monday evening's debate, British Labour MEP Richard Corbett also noted the need to involve the Council more, noting that "there is a ghost missing this feast". As for Commissioner Loyola de Palacio, she also hoped that they could "find a formula" to have the Council participate in the exercise.