Opening Remarks
Mr President,
Honorable Members, I welcome the opportunity of this debate to reflect about how the European institutions and particularly the European Commission can better inform the European Parliament on the negotiations for international agreements.
As you know, in the context of the new inter-institutional agreement for better lawmaking, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have taken a commitment: A commitment to meet within six months after the entry into force of the Inter-Institutional Agreement in order to negotiate improved practical arrangements for cooperation and information-sharing. This trilateral approach reflects the fact that, the obligation to inform Parliament fully and immediately falls on both the Commission and the Council, depending on their institutional roles.
For example, it does not fall on the Commission to inform Parliament about decisions taken or texts adopted by Council.
But let me reiterate the importance that, we in the Commission, attach to our obligations under the Treaty and to our existing commitment under the Framework Agreement.
We are committed to provide the European Parliament with full and immediate information at all stages of negotiations for international agreements.
The Commission stands by this commitment and monitors its implementation closely.
The Framework Agreement establishes the practice that information concerning international agreements shall,
as a general rule, be provided to Parliament through the responsible parliamentary committee.
In line with this sector-specific approach, the Commission has instructed its services to arrange directly with the relevant parliamentary committees the modalities for provision of information and documents to allow for optimal solutions in each area.
The Commission believes that our obligations are generally speaking well respected and that Commissioners and their services are doing their part to ensure that Parliament is well informed.
This includes provision of confidential information and documents under the specific arrangements set out in the Framework Agreement.
As regards specifically the work of the LIBE Committee, Commission services have established a practice of regular updates on pending international agreements to the Committee.
Commission representatives have always been willing to come and update on the ongoing international negotiations, be it in camera or in a public meeting, as appropriate.
Likewise, practical arrangements for informing Parliament about readmission agreements have so far included regular presentations by senior Commission officials to the LIBE Committee in ordinary meetings.
The Commission is ready to provide such information whenever requested, be it in a public or, where appropriate, a restricted meeting.
The Commission is also open to discuss with Parliament if and how practice can be improved.
I am looking forward to hearing your concrete proposals, which will feed into the trilateral reflection that Parliament, Council and the Commission are to start soon.
Thank you very much you for your attention!
Closing remarks
Mr President,
Honorable Members,
I want to thank you for this debate.
It allows the Commission to understand better where Members of this House see the need for improving the information about negotiations for international agreements.
FVP Timmermans, will represent the Commission in order to engage, together with the European Parliament and the Council, in a reflection on how to better implement Parliament’s right under the Treaty.
The right to be fully and immediately informed at all stages of international negotiations.
But let me also remind you, that the obligation to inform Parliament on international negotiations falls on both the Commission and the Council.
Moreover, we cannot disregard or circumvent the need to protect confidential or classified information related to international obligations or inter-institutional agreements.
Thank you once again for your attention.