European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure: Amendments under way

After looking at completed procedures to amend or interpret the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, we turn procedures still unfinished shortly before the June 2009 European elections.


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MEPs maternity or paternity leave


Procedure REG/2006/2025 has led to a draft report drafted by Iñigo Méndez de Vigo: PE374.264. The draft was tabled on 12 July 2006 and the subject matter is the rules applying to Members in the event of maternity or paternity.

The report is still awaiting the blessing of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) and debate by the full Parliament.


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Petitions process


In procedure REG/2006/2209 the rapporteur Gérard Onesta drafted a report on revision of the Rules of Procedure with regard to the petitions process. The report A6-0027/2009 was adopted by AFCO 27 January 2009, and is awaiting debate in the chamber.

The proposal is described as fine-tuning the petitions procedure, but a number of Rules would be affected.


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General review of Rules of Procedure


A general review of the EP’s Rules of Procedure is under way. We have presented the areas of interest in the Corbett draft report in an earlier blog post, so here our intention is mainly a quick update.

The procedure file REG/2007/2124 is still waiting for a future AFCO vote. The report comprises questions related to the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon as well as amendments to the Rules of Procedure intended to take effect at the beginning of the new parliamentary term.



Ralf Grahn