Brussels, 08/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee has adopted (by 16 votes in favour, 2 against and 4 abstentions) the report of German Social Democrat Elmar Brok, allowing European Parliament access to sensitive documents. The report approves the agreement reached between the Parliament and Council to allow the President of the EP and a special committee to consult classified documents. It still remains to be formally adopted in the plenary session of the second session in October in Strasbourg.
Up until now, the Parliament was subject to the same restrictions as the public concerning access to "confidential, secret or top secret documents". This agreement will enable the President of Parliament and a special committee, chaired by the Foreign Affairs Committee and consisting of four members appointed by the Conference of Presidents, to be informed by the Council Presidency or the High Representative of the content of sensitive documents if these are needed for Parliament to perform its democratic functions. The preliminary agreement between third countries and international organisations will remain necessary for information from these countries and organisations. Member States will keep their right, as well as the facility to restrict the dissemination of classified documents. It will be possible for the agreement to be revised after a period of two years at the request of one of the two institutions.