BETA


2011/2090(INI) Unilateral statements in the minutes of the Council

Progress: Procedure completed

RoleCommitteeRapporteurShadows
Lead AFCO TRZASKOWSKI Rafał (icon: PPE PPE) FOX Ashley (icon: ECR ECR), MESSERSCHMIDT Morten (icon: EFD EFD)
Lead committee dossier:
Legal Basis:
RoP 54

Events

2012/02/01
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2011/09/27
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2011/09/27
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the unilateral statements entered in the minutes of Council meetings.

Parliament recalls that the Court of Justice has repeatedly confirmed that declarations are not legally binding. Stressing that the Council has the duty to inform Parliament fully of its position in the context of legislative procedures, Members consider that unilateral statements by Member States or the Council might adversely affect Parliament's legislative powers , are damaging to the quality of Union legislation and undermine the principle of legal certainty.

Parliament reaffirms that statements and declarations which are not incorporated into a legal text but which concern it, regardless of whether they are issued by one or more Member States, have no legal force and may undermine the coherence of Union law and its clear interpretation.

Members call for all statements to be notified to Parliament , and call on the Council to forward the minutes of the legislative part of its meetings to Parliament at the same time as to the national parliaments and Member State governments. They reserve the right to use any lawful means at its disposal should unilateral statements have been deliberately intended to produce legal effects.

Accordingly, the Council and Commission are asked to enter into negotiations with Parliament , on the basis of Article 295 TFEU, with a view to updating the Joint Declaration on practical arrangements for the codecision procedure (now ordinary legislative procedure) in order to take account of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and to clearly delimit the scope of unilateral statements.

Documents
2011/09/27
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2011/07/14
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
Documents
2011/07/14
   EP - Committee report tabled for plenary
Documents
2011/07/12
   EP - Vote in committee
Details

The Committee on Constitutional Affairs adopted the own-initiative report by Rafał TRZASKOWSKI (EPP, PL) on unilateral statements entered in the minutes of Council meetings.

This report originates in a request by the Conference of Committee Chairs addressed to the Constitutional Affairs Committee in order to clarify the position of Parliament as regards the meaning and legal status of unilateral statements entered in the minutes of Council meetings.

Several committee chairs expressed their concerns about the proliferation of such statements, in particular in the framework of the codecision procedure where they could weaken the legal force and scope of the adopted acts, and so possibly affect Parliament's will as a co-legislator.

Members reaffirm that statements and declarations which are not incorporated into a legal text but which concern it, regardless of whether they are issued by one or more Member States, have no legal force and may undermine the coherence of Union law and its clear interpretation.

Members call for all statements to be notified to Parliament , and call on the Council to forward the minutes of the legislative part of its meetings to Parliament at the same time as to the national parliaments and Member State governments. They reserve the right to use any lawful means at its disposal should unilateral statements have been deliberately intended to produce legal effects.

Accordingly, the Council and Commission are asked to enter into negotiations with Parliament , on the basis of Article 295 TFEU, with a view to updating the Joint Declaration on practical arrangements for the codecision procedure (now ordinary legislative procedure) in order to take account of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and to clearly delimit the scope of unilateral statements.

2011/06/21
   EP - Amendments tabled in committee
Documents
2011/05/17
   EP - Committee draft report
Documents
2011/05/12
   EP - Committee referral announced in Parliament
2010/02/22
   EP - TRZASKOWSKI Rafał (PPE) appointed as rapporteur in AFCO

Documents

AmendmentsDossier
7 2011/2090(INI)
2011/06/21 AFCO 7 amendments...
source: PE-467.211

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE460.608
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Rules of Procedure EP 54
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http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2011-269&language=EN
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events/4/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-411
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  • date: 2011-05-12T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: ECR name: FOX Ashley group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: MESSERSCHMIDT Morten responsible: True committee: AFCO date: 2010-02-22T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE name: TRZASKOWSKI Rafał
  • date: 2011-07-12T00:00:00 body: EP committees: body: EP shadows: group: ECR name: FOX Ashley group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: MESSERSCHMIDT Morten responsible: True committee: AFCO date: 2010-02-22T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE name: TRZASKOWSKI Rafał type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2011-07-14T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2011-269&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A7-0269/2011 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • date: 2011-09-27T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=20433&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-411 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0411/2011 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
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shadows
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AFCO
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docs
  • date: 2011-05-17T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE460.608 title: PE460.608 type: Committee draft report body: EP
  • date: 2011-06-21T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE467.211 title: PE467.211 type: Amendments tabled in committee body: EP
  • date: 2011-07-14T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2011-269&language=EN title: A7-0269/2011 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP
  • date: 2012-02-01T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=20433&j=0&l=en title: SP(2011)8719 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
events
  • date: 2011-05-12T00:00:00 type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP
  • date: 2011-07-12T00:00:00 type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading body: EP summary: The Committee on Constitutional Affairs adopted the own-initiative report by Rafał TRZASKOWSKI (EPP, PL) on unilateral statements entered in the minutes of Council meetings. This report originates in a request by the Conference of Committee Chairs addressed to the Constitutional Affairs Committee in order to clarify the position of Parliament as regards the meaning and legal status of unilateral statements entered in the minutes of Council meetings. Several committee chairs expressed their concerns about the proliferation of such statements, in particular in the framework of the codecision procedure where they could weaken the legal force and scope of the adopted acts, and so possibly affect Parliament's will as a co-legislator. Members reaffirm that statements and declarations which are not incorporated into a legal text but which concern it, regardless of whether they are issued by one or more Member States, have no legal force and may undermine the coherence of Union law and its clear interpretation. Members call for all statements to be notified to Parliament , and call on the Council to forward the minutes of the legislative part of its meetings to Parliament at the same time as to the national parliaments and Member State governments. They reserve the right to use any lawful means at its disposal should unilateral statements have been deliberately intended to produce legal effects. Accordingly, the Council and Commission are asked to enter into negotiations with Parliament , on the basis of Article 295 TFEU, with a view to updating the Joint Declaration on practical arrangements for the codecision procedure (now ordinary legislative procedure) in order to take account of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and to clearly delimit the scope of unilateral statements.
  • date: 2011-07-14T00:00:00 type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2011-269&language=EN title: A7-0269/2011
  • date: 2011-09-27T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=20433&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
  • date: 2011-09-27T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-411 title: T7-0411/2011 summary: The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the unilateral statements entered in the minutes of Council meetings. Parliament recalls that the Court of Justice has repeatedly confirmed that declarations are not legally binding. Stressing that the Council has the duty to inform Parliament fully of its position in the context of legislative procedures, Members consider that unilateral statements by Member States or the Council might adversely affect Parliament's legislative powers , are damaging to the quality of Union legislation and undermine the principle of legal certainty. Parliament reaffirms that statements and declarations which are not incorporated into a legal text but which concern it, regardless of whether they are issued by one or more Member States, have no legal force and may undermine the coherence of Union law and its clear interpretation. Members call for all statements to be notified to Parliament , and call on the Council to forward the minutes of the legislative part of its meetings to Parliament at the same time as to the national parliaments and Member State governments. They reserve the right to use any lawful means at its disposal should unilateral statements have been deliberately intended to produce legal effects. Accordingly, the Council and Commission are asked to enter into negotiations with Parliament , on the basis of Article 295 TFEU, with a view to updating the Joint Declaration on practical arrangements for the codecision procedure (now ordinary legislative procedure) in order to take account of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon and to clearly delimit the scope of unilateral statements.
  • date: 2011-09-27T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
links
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  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/legal_service/ title: Legal Service commissioner: ŠEFČOVIČ Maroš
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  • date: 2011-05-12T00:00:00 body: EP type: Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading committees: body: EP shadows: group: ECR name: FOX Ashley group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: MESSERSCHMIDT Morten responsible: True committee: AFCO date: 2010-02-22T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE name: TRZASKOWSKI Rafał
  • date: 2011-07-12T00:00:00 body: EP committees: body: EP shadows: group: ECR name: FOX Ashley group: GUE/NGL name: SØNDERGAARD Søren Bo group: EFD name: MESSERSCHMIDT Morten responsible: True committee: AFCO date: 2010-02-22T00:00:00 committee_full: Constitutional Affairs rapporteur: group: PPE name: TRZASKOWSKI Rafał type: Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • date: 2011-07-14T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A7-2011-269&language=EN type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading title: A7-0269/2011 body: EP type: Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
  • date: 2011-09-27T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=20433&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P7-TA-2011-411 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T7-0411/2011 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
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links
other
  • body: EC dg: url: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/legal_service/ title: Legal Service commissioner: ŠEFČOVIČ Maroš
procedure
dossier_of_the_committee
AFCO/7/02283
reference
2011/2090(INI)
title
Unilateral statements in the minutes of the Council
legal_basis
Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 052
stage_reached
Procedure completed
subtype
Initiative
type
INI - Own-initiative procedure
subject