Changes from plenary report to adopted text

RemovedPROPOSAL FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION

AddedP9_TA(2020)0380

Changedon amendmentsAmendments to the Rules of Procedure in order to ensure the functioning of Parliament in extraordinary circumstances

Removed(2020/2098(REG))

AddedCommittee on Constitutional Affairs

AddedPE654.009

AddedEuropean Parliament decision of 17 December 2020 on amendments to the Rules of Procedure in order to ensure the functioning of Parliament in extraordinary circumstances (2020/2098(REG))

▸7 unchanged paragraphs

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rules 236 and 237 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A9-0194/2020),

1. Decides to amend its Rules of Procedure as shown below;

2. Stresses that the sanitary crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed that its Rules of Procedure require more developed procedures in order to ensure the unlimited functioning of Parliament in different types of extraordinary circumstances;

3. Underlines the importance of the temporary measures adopted, in compliance with the rule of law, by its President and its governing bodies in the current sanitary crisis, in order to cope with such extraordinary circumstances; stresses that there were no alternatives to those measures in order to guarantee the continuity of Parliament’s business as required by the Treaties, and that they allowed Parliament to carry out its legislative, budgetary and political control functions during the crisis in accordance with the procedures provided for by the Treaties;

4. Stresses that those temporary measures were fully justified and that they ensured the validity of all votes taken during their period of application;

Change 1

Changed5. Recalls the importance of ensuring, to the best of its capabilities,ability, reasonable accommodation for Members with disabilities and their staff while Parliament is operating under extraordinary circumstances;

Change 2

Changed6. Considers that the amendments shown below should be adopted by means of the alternative electronic voting system in accordance with standardthe procedures;current temporary measures adopted by its President and its governing bodies for allowing it to function during the sanitary crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic;

Change 3

Removed7. Decides that these amendments shall enter into force on the first day following that of their adoption;

Added7. Decides that these amendments shall enter into force on 1 January 2021, but that they shall apply only from 18 January 2021, in order for the President and the Conference of Presidents to have the legal basis for adopting and approving in advance a decision under new Rule 237a(2), first subparagraph, so that the new provisions can be applied in full from the first day of their application, namely, at the opening of the first ordinary part-session of 2021;

▸5 unchanged paragraphs

8. Instructs its President to forward this decision to the Council, to the Commission and to the national parliaments, for information.

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Title XIII a (new): TITLE XIIIa: EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Rule 237 a (new)

Change 4

ChangedAmendment: Rule 237 a / Extraordinary measures / 1. This Rule applies to situations in which the European Parliament, due to exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond its control, is hindered from carrying out its duties and exercising its prerogatives under the TreatiesTreaties, and a temporary derogation from Parliament’s usual proceduresprocedures, set out elsewhere in these RulesRules, is necessary in order to adopt extraordinary measures to enable itParliament to continue to carry out those duties and to exercise those prerogatives. / Such extraordinary circumstances shall be considered to exist where the President comes to the conclusion, on the basis of reliable evidence confirmed, where appropriate, by Parliament’s services, that for reasons of securitysecurity, or safety or as a result of the non-availability of technical means it isis, or will bebe, impossible or dangerous for Parliament to convene in accordance with its usual procedures as set out elsewhere in these Rules and its adopted calendar. / 2. Where the conditions set out in paragraph 1 are fulfilled, the President may decide, with the approval of the Conference of Presidents, to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. / If it is impossible, due to reasons of imperative urgency, for the Conference of Presidents to convene in person or virtually, the President may decide to apply one or more of the measures referred to in paragraph 3. Such a decision shall lapse five days after its adoption unless approved by the Conference of Presidents…President…

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Rule 237 b (new)

Change 5

ChangedAmendment: Rule 237b / Disturbance of the political balance in Parliament / 1. The President may, with the approval of the Conference of Presidents, adopt measures necessary to facilitate the participation of Members or of a political group concerned if, on the basis of reliable evidence, the President comes to the conclusion that the political balance in Parliament is severely impaired because a significant number of Members or a political group cannot take part in Parliament’s proceedings in accordance with its usual procedures, as set out elsewhere in these Rules, for reasons of security or safety, or as a result of the non-availability of technical means. / The sole aim of such measures shall be to allow the remote participation of Members concerned by the application of selected technical means under Rule 237c(1) or by other appropriate means serving the same purpose. / 2. Measures under paragraph 1 may be adopted for the benefit of a significant number of Members if exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond their control occurring in a regional context lead to their non-participation. / Measures under paragraph 1 may also be adopted for the benefit of members of a political group if that group has requested them where the non-participation of that group results from exceptional and unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of that group.group’s control. / 3. Rule 237a(2), second and third subparagraphs, and the rules and principles laid down in Rule 237a(4) and (5) shall apply accordingly.accordingl…

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Rule 237 c (new)

Change 6

ChangedAmendment: Rule 237 c / Remote participation regime / 1. Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237a(3), point (d), to apply the remote participation regime, Parliament may conduct its proceedings remotely inter alia by permitting all Members to exercise certain of their parliamentary rights by electronic means. / Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237b that selected technical means under the remote participation regime are to be used, this Rule shall apply only to the necessary extent necessary and only to the Members concerned. / 2. The remote participation regime shall ensure that: / – Members are able to exercise their parliamentary mandate, including, in particular, their right to speak in plenary and in the committees, to vote and to table texts, without impairment; / – all votes are cast by Members individually and in person; / – the remote voting system enables Members to cast ordinary votes, roll call votes and secret ballots and to verify that their votes are counted as cast; / – a uniform voting system is applied for all Members, regardless of whether they are present or not on Parliament’s premises; / – Rule 167 is applied to the greatest possibleextent extent;possible; / – the information technology solutions made available to Members and their staff are ‘technology neutral’; / – participation of Members in parliamentary debates and votes takes place using secure electronic means that are managed and supervised by Parliament’s services directly and internally. / 3. When taking the decision r…Whe…

Parliament's Rules of Procedure

Rule 237 d (new)

Change 7

ChangedAmendment: Rule 237d / Holding of thea plenarypart-session sessionor a sitting in separate meeting rooms / Where the President decides in accordance with Rule 237a(3), point (c), to allow a plenarypart-session sessionor ofa Parliamentsitting to be heldheld, in whole or in partpart, in more than one meeting room, including, where appropriate, the hemicycle, the following rules shall apply: / – the meeting rooms used in this context shall be considered to collectively constitute the Chamber; / – the President may, if necessary, determine the manner in which the respective meeting rooms can be used, in order to ensure that physical distancing requirements are respected.