Activities of Andrew DUFF related to 2009/0813(NLE)
Plenary speeches (1)
Revision of the Treaties – Transitional measures concerning the composition of the European Parliament - Decision not to convene a Convention for the revision of the Treaties with regard to transitional measures concerning the composition of the European Parliament (debate)
Amendments (15)
Amendment 1 #
Citation 2
– having regard to Article 48(3) of the EU Treaty on European Union (TEU), pursuant to which the European Council consulted Parliament (C7-0001/2010),
Amendment 2 #
Citation 3
– having regard to Article 14(2) of the EC Treatyand (3) TEU,
Amendment 3 #
Citation 7
– having regard to the conclusions of the European Council meetings of 11 and -12 December 2008 and of 18 and 19 June, 18-19 June and 10-11 December 2009,
Amendment 4 #
Citation 8
– having regard to Rules 55, 11(4) and 74a of its Rules of Procedure,
Amendment 5 #
Recital A
A. whereas Article 14(2) of the EU TreatyTEU, as amended by the Lisbon Treaty, provides that the European Council shall adopt by unanimity, on the initiative of the European Parliament and with its consent, a decision establishing the composition of the European Parliament,
Amendment 10 #
Recital I
I. whereas the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 11 and 12 December 2008, under the chairmanship of the President of the French Republic, already provided for the adoption of transitional measures permitting the arrival of the additional MEPs during the current parliamentary term, and whereas the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 18 and 19 June 2009 laid downproposed rules governing a temporary increase in the number of MEPs,
Amendment 11 #
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas Article 14(3) TEU and the 1976 Act ordain that Members of the European Parliament shall be elected by direct universal suffrage in a free and secret ballot,
Amendment 12 #
Recital J b (new)
Jb. whereas the European Council of 10-11 December 2009 decided to consult Parliament on an amendment to Protocol No 36, tabled by the Spanish Government, which, by way of derogation from Article 14(3) TEU, suggests three options for choosing the 18 extra MEPs, namely: (a) holding ad hoc by-elections; (b) recounting the results of the poll of June 2009; (c) designation of members of national parliaments,
Amendment 13 #
Paragraph 1
1. TakAgrees the view that the amendment of Protocol No 36 requested by the European Council stems directly from the new provisions of the Lisbon Treaty, and is a valid solution that will enable all those Member States entitled to additional seats to designate the MEPs concernedat an additional 18 MEPs should be elected to Parliament for the remainder of the 2009-2014 term; insists, however, that all 18 should take up their seats in Parliament at the same time in order not to upset the balance of nationalities in the House; urges Member States to complete their election procedures in a pragmatic way as soon as possible;
Amendment 14 #
Paragraph 2
2. Regrets that the Council did not adopt the necessary measures in time to enable the additional MEPs to take up their seats as soon as the Lisbon Treaty entered into force, and that one of the solutions envisaged in the context of the amendment sought is not in keeping with the spirit of the 1976 Act, which was designed to ensure that MEPs are elected directly, rather than indirectly through an election within a national parliament;
Amendment 17 #
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Believes, moreover, that the proposed inclusion of the third option in the amended Protocol No 36 – namely, that national MPs can be designated as MEPs – is in breach both of the letter and the spirit of EU primary law and would constitute a retrograde step which would impair the democratic legitimacy of the European Parliament and confuse the citizen at the very time when Parliament’s increased powers require every effort to build public confidence in its representative capability;
Amendment 18 #
Paragraph 3
3. ADoes not agrees, howevertherefore, to the convening of an intergovernmental conference, provided that it is confined to the specific issue of the adoption of transitional measures concerning the composition unless it is preceded by a Convention which examines in particular the proposal made by the European Council to allow members of national parliaments to be designated as Members of the European Parliament for the rest of the 2009-2014 parliamentary term;
Amendment 22 #
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. In keeping with the precedent established in the negotiation of the Lisbon Treaty, and in view of Parliament’s prerogatives in this matter, proposes to nominate three representatives to the intergovernmental conference;
Amendment 24 #
Paragraph 6
6. Emphasises also that any subsequent decision on the composition of the European Parliament will have to allow for any accessions that may take place in the meantime, and must therefore provide for the number of seats allocated to the new Member States; furthermore, reminds the European Council that any decision to include MEPs from an accession state during the 2009-2014 term will also have to be initiated by Parliament;
Amendment 25 #
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Recalls, in any case, its intention to make substantial proposals for the reform of Parliament’s electoral procedure in good time before the 2014 elections;